


Chattel

by WreckedPrincess



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Sex, Innocent Harry, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Oral Sex, Romance, Rough Body Play, Threesome - M/M/M, Top Louis, Underage Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-16
Updated: 2015-05-28
Packaged: 2018-03-18 04:04:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3555368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WreckedPrincess/pseuds/WreckedPrincess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What do you want for your birthday, darling?" His mother asked, running her perfectly manicured hands through her son's hair. </p><p>"I-I want a toy, mum. A toy that can talk back. A toy that stays with me all the time" Louis replied, his eyelids fighting to keep his eyes open. </p><p> </p><p>Louis Tomlinson, the future heir of a company that earns profits in millions of pounds was soon going to celebrate his seventh birthday.  So of course, his wishes become true but the problem is - the toy is not inanimate. It's a very much breathing, living five year old boy with chocolate curls. </p><p>"It's all yours Louis. All yours to play with"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Wish

Chattel  
noun  
(in general use) a personal possession.

CHAPTER 1 

The moon was high up in the sky and the city glowed with an artificial glow. Distant from the city, a lonely mansion stood with vast empty lands around it. Inside the mansion, the top floor on the left was brightly lit, huddled voices spoke fast and quick around a round table.

A tall sinuous women, her face proud and scornful at the same time. She sat at the head of the round table, her power and confidence emanating in waves to the rest of them sitting around the table. They talked about the falling profits and selling and endless regrets which could’ve been prevented. Blames were thrown against the woman in the black dress yet her head was held high. She battled using her sharp tongue as a weapon and defended herself with the more subtle seductiveness that projected from her body language. 

A small whimper interrupted her train of thought. An incessant calling from a tiny voice emerged and the voice became louder with each calling, disturbing the flow of her speech. 

“Mum”

“Mum”

“Mum Mummy Mummy Mummy” 

A small boy, he had the hair like silk with the colour of melting sugar that was just turning into hot caramel. He had ruby cheeks and the eyes that mirrored the ocean. He stood close to the long legs of his mother and looked up at the tall authoritative figure. His left hand clasped onto the edge of her dress, pulling on it gently while the other held a small soft fluffy bear harder against his chest. 

His eyes were desperate and with every ‘mum’ that was said aloud which was then ignored, the further he crippled further into himself as he fought the fear of rejection. 

“Darling! Hush!” Came back the harsh reply. It was like a bite of a viper that took a part of his heart and the boy crouched further, holding back his tears. 

“Mama...” The small boy whimpered softly again, this time in sadness. 

Johanna regretted the unleash of her whip and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened her eyes again, her demeanor changed immediately and she looked at her son differently. 

Her eyes softened and with difficulty her lips turned to stretch themselves into a kind smile. 

“Darling, mummy is busy. Now wait outside and I’ll be there in a few minutes, okay darling?” She cooed. The room buzzed with murmurs and low whispers, most probably on how  
fast the newly coupled Tomlinson’s family was falling apart. 

The boy nodded, partly relieved that her mother wasn’t too angry at him. 

The boy’s name was Louis. Louis Tomlinson. 

The boy who was the current heir to a company that earned profits in millions of pounds. 

He would soon inherit a mass of fortune that mere mortals could only dream of. Yet the boy didn’t know as such. He was a child who knew nothing about the adult discipline of greed, wealth or the status ladder. It didn’t matter to him whether he was the king or a peasant. 

He only wanted his mother’s love and affection. That alone meant the world to him. 

“Okay...” Louis mumbled and walked out the room. 

Louis Tomlinson yawned. He was sleepy but he didn’t want to sleep. It was Tuesday night, Tuesday nights were when his mum would read him a bedtime story. Louis waited eagerly for the clock to struck nine but that turned to ten and ten had turned to eleven yet his mom was nowhere to be seen. So he decided to find her and as usual she was in that big, big room with all the chairs and the massive round table with old angry men and mean women. They never smiled. Why didn’t they ever smile? He didn’t understand.  
He stood outside the room with the big round table, leaning against the wall beside the door. He yawned again and rubbed his eyes. He stood there, minutes ticked by and he lost track of the time and before he realized, he was slowly sliding against the wall as the fatigue started to take over his body. 

Louis’ eyes were fluttering shut and his body folded into a big ‘C’ on the floor with the teddy tucked right against his chest. He had walked in, not knowing the consequences. Now his mum was mad. He didn’t like it when she was angry. He sighed. He could never do anything right. He even missed his dad. He was hardly here, always on some business trip. 

“Mama...” He sighed in his sleep. 

A voice suddenly emerged inside his head. 

“Lou! You’re supposed to be in bed. I have been searching everywhere for you!” 

It was Christina. Louis’s maid. 

A stout lady with kind eyes and a brilliant smile. Louis liked Christina. She was always smiling and giving him chocolate and telling him how cute he was.  
Louis tried opening his eyes but couldn’t. “M...waitin’ for mum” He replied tired. 

“Darling, I told you. Your mother is a busy woman. She’ll meet you tomorrow morning for breakfast” 

“You always say that...” He blamed her quietly. 

Christina frowned and let her fingers run through the boy’s hair. She sighed. 

“Come on, Louis baby. I’ll carry you to bed” 

“No...No Chrissy. Mum told me to wait” He refused stubbornly. 

She sighed. She sat next to him on the floor to keep the boy company. She knew she had things to do but she didn’t have the heart to leave him alone on the carpet. 

Time ticked by quietly and the sudden rush of air as the door opened startled Christina from her sleepiness. Even Louis was shaken awake from his sleep. A hoard of people  
exited talking loudly, although they seemed a little less tense than they were before. 

Louis’ mother Johanna was the last to leave. 

“Louis” His mother called looking down at the human heap at her feet. 

She crouched down. “Louis, darling. Wake up” She gently patted him on the back. 

“Mum” He replied, trying to wake up. His eyes fluttered open and they quickly brightened to see the familiar face. 

“Come here sweetheart” She said and opened her arms wide. 

“Christina you can leave now” She replied, her voice suddenly tuning into a more stern, scolding tone. She picked up her son. Louis wound his tiny arms around his mother’s neck and placed his head against her shoulder and sighed. She smelled sweet. His mom always smelled nice. It was comforting in a way. 

“Darling, I’m sorry I had to make you wait” She cooed as she rubbed his back soothingly. 

“S’okay mummy. Sorry I made noise” 

She kissed his cheek briefly. “Mummy’s very tired, so I’ll read you that story some time else. Is that okay?” 

Louis eyes saddened but he nodded quietly. “’Kay...” 

Johanna walked to her son’s room and placed him on his bed. She gathered the blanket and covered him up. She sat down next to the sleeping form, running her perfectly manicured finger tips through her son’s hair.

As she looked at her blue-eyed wonder, she felt a familiar ache in her chest yet couldn’t identify. The familiar ache that burned when she first discovered she had missed the first time Louis walked, or when she heard ‘Cwiss’ was the first word out of his mouth. She wouldn’t forget the ache that returned when she couldn’t fly back home when her son was sick. It was now burning a deep hole in her chest that only grew deeper with every passing day and every story she missed reading to him.  
No matter what she did, it never seemed to disappear. 

“When’s dad coming back?” Louis asked his mom as she leaned to give him a kiss on his forehead. 

“Hmm...He’ll be back for your birthday and he’ll stay for Christmas”

Louis’ birthday fell on the day before Christmas. He wasn’t sure if that was fortunate or not. 

“Awesome” He rejoiced weakly. 

Johanna smiled, although it didn’t reach her eyes and the pain in her chest grew stronger. 

“Louis...what do you want for Birthday?” She asked softly. Louis would be turning seven this year. 

Louis pondered hard, his forehead crinkling and brows coming together. 

“Tell me honey. Mummy will get anything you want” She cooed. The only salvage to soothe her pain was to spoil her son. 

“M’ thinking mom” He replied, seriously. 

Johanna removed her heels and laid down next to her son, for once not worrying about crinkles that may form in her dress. Both their heads collided at an angle on the same  
pillow, both their soft wisps of caramel hair becoming one on the pillow. 

After sometime, Louis replied and what he replied with startled her. 

“I want...I want a toy that can talk back” Louis asked, his eyes sparkling. 

“A toy that can talk back?” His mother repeated incredulously. 

Louis nodded, yawning. “Mm...yes. All the other toys are so quiet.” He whispered, his eyes shuttering close. 

“I want a toy that stays with me all the time, Mum...a toy that I can play hide n seek with” He added as an after-thought. 

“Please, mummy” 

She smiled, albeit with a sad undertone. Her son was lonely. It was no surprise. She knew she was neglecting her responsibility as a parent but she tried so hard every day and all she could do with the extra time she’d get was use it for an extra hour of sleep. She was getting older each day, which meant longer time to spend at the beauty clinic. Her marriage was a farce and the only reason the prick married her was because she was pregnant with Louis. She knew her husband was cheating on her and the business had just experienced their first massive loss all due to her husband’s careless expenditure. She was at her wits end. She was always picking up pieces after him. Her life was laced with mistakes. Nothing ever went right. 

Louis rarely had company over. He had recently started school. A school for the elite. It held five students in each class and there was only one class per grade. Each had their personal mentor besides having a common class teacher. His mother remembered Louis had talked about a boy called Zen or Zan. She wasn’t sure. God, she should really start paying attention. After a week, the enthusiasm for school wearied down at an incredible pace. She had an inkling that Louis was feeling alone at school too. 

“Please mum. I really want one” Louis asked once more, his voice just above a whisper. 

She kissed his forehead. A toy that could talk back? “You only have to ask darling, I’d even get the stars for you” 

Louis finally smiled and briefly kissed his mother’s cheek. “I love you Mummy” 

“I love you too, darling”


	2. The Toy

CHAPTER 2  
The Day before Christmas

Crystals of ice floated from the skies above and settled as thick layer of white on the lands below, covering up the vibrant greens and baring the dull brown trunks. 

Louis stuck his tongue out, mesmerized by the flake of snow sizzling and disappearing on his tongue. It was too early to be outside, and far too early to be out on a day that snowed and chillness easily seeped into the bones. 

The sun hadn’t even properly woken up yet and so they flooded their lawn with artificial light. 

“Walter, can I decorate the snowman?” He asked, getting up from the mound of snow he made himself which had initially been the precursor for the snowman. It was almost flat now. 

“It looks really good, Walter!” Louis exclaimed looking at the traditional three-balled snowman. 

Walter was the butler. He was basically the manager of the house. He was middle-aged, greying at the edges. He was skinny and lanky and was known for his quick temper among the help. A perfectionist at heart. However, when it came to the young master, he had bountiful of patience. 

Walter exhaled and smiled. He already felt so exhausted. He had been woken up at four in the morning, only to find piercing blue eyes and small hands pulling on his pajamas telling him that it was time to make a snowman. When he pulled a sock out of his mouth, Louis quietly reasoned that he was snoring too loudly. 

“Of course, Louis. Here you go” Walter said and offered him a plate that held carrots and other random vegetables, a couple of sticks and other apparel. 

“Walter, Mummy’s going to get me a really special toy this year and I’m going to get it today!” He excitedly spoke up as he pushed in the carrot, standing on his tippy-toes. 

“Oh, really? That’s wonderful Louis” Walter commented, this wasn’t the first time Louis talked about it. Walter and Christina knew how long Louis had been waiting for this day to  
arrive. He wondered now, if the kid had even slept. He glanced at Louis and decided he probably hadn’t, not with such bundle of excitement unwrapping inside his head.  
He even crossed off the days with a big red marker on the calendar, till the day he would be able to open his present that his mother had promised. 

“It’s looks magnificent, simply marvelous” Walter commented excitedly looking at Louis’ fully decorated snowman fully equipped with buttons and scarf. This had been a tradition since Louis had turned four. 

Louis grinned wide. He pulled off his ear mufflers and put it on his snowman. 

Once inside, Louis flooded his stomach with hot chocolate. He wasn’t allowed such food usually but since it was birthday and it was nearly Christmas, hence that was equivalent to an all access pass to the pantry. 

He patiently waited for his mom to wake up but failed miserably with his eyes fluttering shut in minutes and he soon fell asleep on the dining table. 

“You better not disappoint the kid” Walter mumbled and carried the kid back to the bed. 

Louis’s eyes fluttered open slowly but then closed once again. He didn’t want to wake up. The morning was so chilly and underneath the blanket, it was so warm and snug. Louis smiled and snuggled further into the sheets. 

“Louis! Happy Birthday!” A voice boomed into the room. 

Louis’s eyes shot open. It was his birthday! It was his birthday! 

He quickly shed the blankets that had pooled around his waist. He even pushed past Christina who was now laughing. 

Louis continued running, almost rolling down the stairs. He was so excited. The thrill of opening his soon-to-be surprise was burning his body with exhilaration. He felt his tiny heart flutter like a humming bird in his miniature caged chest. 

His eyes widened at the male figure that stood at the foot of the stairs, wearing a warm but ugly sweater, holding a drink in his right hand. His eyes were warm and he opened his arms for the running boy to run into. 

“Louis” He huffed as the blue-eyed ball of wonder hit his chest with a massive thud. 

“Dad!” He exclaimed into the woolen material. 

“Happy Birthday” He wished smiling. 

Johanna walked into the scene. She swigged the last bit of whiskey. She knew it was ten in the morning but she needed strength to get through the ‘festive’ days. She tried to smile at the beloved homely scene, the reunion of the father and son unfolding in front of her but she couldn’t. She knew it was just a farce. 

Louis turned to see his mom and he smiled harder. “Mummy” 

She smiled warmly. “Good morning, sweetheart” She wished and kissed him on the cheek. 

“Did you get it? Did you get the toy I wanted? Did you? Did you mum?” Louis’ voice was jittered with unbound eagerness. He wanted to see his toy now!  
“Breathe, Louis” His dad interrupted, not understanding the source of his excitement. 

Louis’s mother laughed softly. This she could tolerate. This, she loved. Louis being happy made her heart feel lighter. “Why don’t you come and take a look?” 

Johanna grabbed her son’s hand and pushed open the sliding door towards the living room. 

A humongous Christmas tree stood near the fireplace, with almost every branch decorated with expensive decorative balls and glittered ribbons and a shiny single diamond studded star to go on the top. 

But all that was ignored by Louis and his eyes focused on a rather large box underneath it. The box shimmered with gold wrapping paper with a red bow on top. Closer he got, he realized that the lid of the box was finely fenestrated around the borders yet he couldn’t see anything. It was too dark.  
Louis walked slowly still stunned that in a few seconds he would be revealing the most amazing toy of his life. 

This was it. 

Louis’s eyes widened and he kneeled before the box, frozen. 

“Go on Louis” His mother cajoled him from behind. “Happy Birthday, Darling” 

Louis was so completely out of it to even acknowledge that statement. He nodded absent-mindedly and pulled the ribbon off in one sweep and slowly slid the box open. His heart hammering loudly now. 

The moment his eyes captured what was inside. He let out a silent gasp. He quickly glanced at his mom for reassurance and then back down. 

Louis clenched his fingers around the edge of the box. 

Was this really a toy? He wondered silently. Louis pressed an exploratory finger against the fleshy mound. The toy was incredibly warm and was...was it breathing?  
Louis was confused now. 

Its skin was like the crème he found on his vanilla cake. It had stubborn ringlets covering its head that were the colour of chocolate and it fell in thick locks covering the boy’s forehead. Its eyes were shut and his chest heaved up and down. It was asleep? 

Louis looked back at his mom, confused. 

“Mum...that’s a...boy, isn’t it?”

Johanna walked closer and kneeled down. She wrapped a hand around her son’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “He may be a boy but that’s your toy darling. Yours to keep, yours to play with”

Louis blinked up at his mom. Not fully understanding to what he was being entitled to. 

“Can I...Can I wake him up?” He asked doubtfully. 

“It’s your toy Louis” Her mom repeated, a bit more sternly this time. “You can do whatever with it” 

Louis nodded and tapped his shoulder. “Wake up...” 

“Wake up toy” He ordered trying to sound like his mom when she bossed people about, although for Louis it came out at as soft and uneven. 

Green eyes like the emeralds on his mother’s necklace came into view as he blinked open slowly. The boy’s eyes widened when it was met with Louis’s inquisitive blue ones. A sort of panic ran rampant through the boy and he sat up straight in the next second. He looked slightly bewildered. 

Louis finally came eye-eye with his ‘toy’. He blinked, trying to take all this in, trying to take what he was being offered. 

“It’s so..."

"It's so...beautiful” He whispered like it was some sworn secret. He was mesmerized, spell-bound, completely entranced. 

“Hi” Louis spoke up finally, still lost in admiration of his toy. He pulled on one of his strand and was fascinated to find the straight strand roll back into its original stubborn thick curve. 

The toy blinked at him but didn’t respond. His breathing rate however increased. 

“I’m Louis” He stated, his eyes transfixed on to the emerald ones. He gently poked the rouge puffy cheeks of the toy. It was incredibly soft. 

“Can he talk, mum?” He whispered so the toy wouldn’t hear him. 

“Give it some time Louis. He’s new, remember?” 

Louis nodded. “So, he’s mine?” He asked, not believing that he could hold something this ethereal as his possession. That this creature would be with him...and for him. 

Johanna sighed. “He’s yours” 

Louis felt somewhat satisfied. He was considerably taller and easily guided the curly toy out of its humongous box. The boy was so quiet. He was wearing dull clothes, brown shorts and white shirt. He however did look well-fed and healthy. 

Louis wondered if it could really talk. 

His dad watched the entire scene feeling terribly uncomfortable. He got himself another drink and chugged it down. Small boys got plastic aeroplanes and remote-controlled cars not small boys. Fuck, he needed another drink. He kept glancing at his wife, frustration seeping inside when she didn’t even bother him with a single glance. How dare she take this kind of decision without informing him? In all honesty he was terribly irked that his wife had kept this entire ordeal a complete secret. 

“Does it have a name mum?” Louis asked. 

“You can pick one Louis” His mother replied as she settled herself on the couch. 

Louis looked at the small fragile curly lad. He looked like even a feather could break him into a million pieces. 

He kneeled back down to the level of his toy. “What do I call you?” 

The toy didn’t reply and stared back at him. 

“Joseph?” His father aided, joining in on this ridiculous charade. 

Louis shook his head. 

“Mark?”

“No dad, that’s silly.”

“Alex?” His mom suggested. 

“Hmm...maybe” It did have a nice ring to it. 

“Harper?” His dad chipped in. 

Louis looked at his dad with a strange expression.

“Harper? Really now?” His mom questioned, annoyed. 

“Hazza!” Louis yelled cheerfully. He was so fuzzy and cozy and warm just like the name. Yes, Hazza it was. 

“Hazza?” His mum questioned. She wasn’t sure she liked the name but she didn’t want to disappoint her son. 

“Well darling, you can give him a proper name and a nickname. What do you think Louis?”

“Hmm okay. So what would be its proper name?”

“Harold?” His dad answered. 

“Rick, you’re not very good at this...” Johanna quietly berated him but the name Harold gave her an idea. 

“What about Harry darling?” Johanna asked. 

Louis furrowed his brows briefly. Harry...

“Yeah, Harry! I like it!” He replied, smiling. 

“Yeah Harry, I’ll call him Harry” He repeated. 

“Do you like your name?” He asked. Louis beamed at his toy when the curly boy nodded. 

“Good darling, you have excellent taste.” She complimented her son. 

“Harry and Louis” He whispered, liking the ring of their names together. 

“Can I take him to my room Mama?” He asked, looking up at his mother with a sparks in his eyes. 

“Sure sweetie. No thank you to your mama?” She pouted. 

Louis enveloped her in a tight hug. “I love it so much mama! Love it love it love it!” He blubbered rapidly, jumping in her arms with excitement. 

Johanna was satisfied. Every wrong became right – exactly at this moment she concluded. 

Louis’ father watched his son bemused, looking at the smaller boy with puppy eyes. “Be careful Louis, you must take care of it” 

The second it came out, he watched his wife roll his eyes from the corner of his eyes. 

“I will Dad, I will!” Came back the sharp reply. 

He pulled on the small lithe fingers of Harry and dragged him towards his room. 

“Bye mom, bye dad” He yelled as he almost ran out of the room. Usually Louis became clingy, trying to include his parents in his ridiculous games but not today. 

Once Louis and the boy disappeared from view. Louis’s father gushed down his fourth glass of scotch before he gathered his courage to talk. 

“Jay, do you think that was a good idea? You practically gave him a child to play as his own. A child! For crying out loud! Are you out of your fucking mind!” He scolded as he stood before her while his wife, Jay looked completely bored as she stared at the Christmas tree in front of her. 

She then slowly stood up, picking up a piece of imaginary dust on her sleeve as she walked to the bar to get herself a drink. 

“So you’re not going to talk about this?” He asked, incredulously. 

Jay slammed the bottle of alcohol louder than necessary as she turned around to meet her husband’s eyes. 

“You can teach me about morality when you stopped fucking your secretory behind my back” She retorted, slicing her husband’s rage into two. 

Rick visibly flinched. He ran his hand through his fingers. So she knew. Of course, she knew. 

“He’s my son too Johanna. Didn’t you think that you needed to tell me about this?” His voice was quieter now. 

“Your son?” She laughed. The liquid in her glass, almost spilling. 

“Your son, since when? Since you’ve asked me to abort him when you found out I was pregnant? Since you bailed out on every family outing to fuck other women? I’m so sick and tired of your bullshit excuses. He sees you thrice a year! Thrice a year, Rick! I’m his mother and you - you, Rick, you are the fucking sperm donor. See the difference?” 

The room darkened. Rick clenched his fists. Beads of anger brewing inside. He was lost for words. Before he could contemplate a response, Jay fired him with the last bullet. 

“I want divorce” Johanna blurted out, her hands visibly shaking. She fumbled with a cigarette and slid it in her mouth but failed miserably to ignite it. 

“Fuck!” She bellowed as her cigarette slipped to the floor. 

“Say something Rick” She pleaded. 

“Fine” 

Silence pursued and it broke with a cackle. 

“Well...we finally agreed on something” She concluded dryly. 

Rick sat back on the couch. He was meaning to discuss about divorce but Johanna beat him to the punch once again. 

“Surely you’re not surprised?” He asked. “This” He gestured between them. “This was a mistake from the beginning” He reasoned quietly. The only reason they married was for Louis but obviously that wasn’t a good enough reason to get married. 

Johanna picked up her cigarette and lit it. She inhaled the smoke, finding it relaxing. She didn’t comment and moved back to sit next to him. 

“I want to take hold of the entire company. You make me the CEO. A proper CEO. Not as your substitute. You can take the lands or those fucking stupid golf courts, I don’t care but the family business is mine” She asserted, tapping the cigarette against the edge of the ashtray.  
Rick leaned back against the couch. He didn’t want the business anyway. His knew his parents wouldn’t be too happy to hear this but fuck them. His dad had one reason to be happy about the unplanned pregnancy – The Tomlinson and the Smiths businesses could merge. 

“Fine. We’ll talk about it once our lawyers are back from their holiday” 

They both sat in awkward silence. 

“So the child...how did you manage that?” He asked, out of curiosity. He didn’t want to talk about the divorce any more than they had to. 

“You wouldn’t believe what you can get when you hold of fat wad of cash in your hand.”

“How much?” 

“Two-fifty grand” 

“Must be desperate if they give in for two-fifty grand” He commented. 

Johanna had a faraway look in her eye. “Mm, pretty desperate” She couldn’t forget the distraught look on the man’s face when he gave him one final parting look with his son. She could’ve been pushed to five hundred or even more, but the man had the kind of desperate look that belonged to mental asylum. She shrugged mentally, she got what she wanted. She had no regrets over her purchase and she especially felt no remorse or guilt. She believed morals were invented for and by people who had no money and needed excuses to get on with their sorry lives, for fucking cowards who were too wimped out to go get what they wanted. She had her own ethical standards. 

“I bought him two months ago. It took some time to rewire him”

“Rewire?”

Something broke in her and Johanna got annoyed all of a sudden. “Jesus, Rick you are really are a clueless son of a bitch, aren’t you? Or are you acting dense so that you could look innocent? They train the child Rick, train them to obey their owners using fear as motivation. I thought you’d be well-versed with this concept” She told him annoyed, inhaling more smoke into her lungs. She knew Rick had several sex slaves back in the day.  
The boy was four, four and half? Almost turning five, so it wasn’t that hard to break him. She knew that was partly the reason the boy was shockingly quiet without a question in his mouth. 

Rick remained quiet. 

“What Louis needs now is a companion. A stable companion that would listen to him. I personally thought it was an ingenious idea.” She stated, smirking. 

“But teaching Louis to treat another child as an object? His own possession? That’s fucked up and you know it” He spit venomously. 

Johanna remained unperturbed and rolled her eyes. “Strange coming from you. I thought you’d be pleased with this idea”  
She was met with annoyed sigh. She continued “He’ll be fine. Like all toys, he’ll be bored with this one too. It’s only a temporary distraction. Once he’s bored, we can relocate that boy back to that dump and Louis will move onto better things. It’s only a matter of time” 

Rick ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “You know Jay, for a woman who claims to be so damn witty and sophisticated. Well guess what? She isn’t so smart after all.” He mocked her. 

“He’s not a toy Jay, he’s a child” He sneered. 

Johanna replied by blowing the last ring of smoke in his face before she stubbed the cigarette on his sweater sleeve, making a small hole in the process while Rick watched her without a single twitch of a muscle. 

“Fuck off” She whispered harshly before she left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos :) . I appreciated each and every single one of them. From the next chapter onwards, I'll be concentrating more on H/L interaction.


	3. The Childhood Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fact: Child Trafficking affects 1.2 million kids each year.

“This is my room!” Louis exclaimed with hands on his hips and head held high like he was proud of it. It was gigantic, with a queen sized bed pushed to one corner and the other half for a desk and for play material. The room was painted with light blue and a massive rectangular window stood opposite to them with the view of the garden which was now white. 

Louis turned around to find Harry standing there awkwardly. His silence made Louis’ confidence dwindle. “Do you like it?” Louis asked, his voice holding some doubt like it was possible for someone to dislike his room. 

Harry gazed at the room, his eyes out of focus. He nodded immediately like a programmed automaton. 

“Why don’t you talk?” Louis asked, now he was really worried. 

Harry blinked at Louis. The state of being shipped from one foreign distraught place to a completely wholesome house hadn’t faded out yet. His mind felt fuzzy and he felt like some of his wires had been disconnected temporarily. Harry knew he was being taken to his new owner, the man with the black mask was telling him so every single day. He just didn’t know that yesterday had been the day he would be taken out of his barren cage. 

The first clue should've been when he was given a proper haircut. He had had been cleaned thoroughly. His hair had been washed with lots of bubbles and he was allowed to sit in a bath for thirty minutes. Harry loved every second of his bath time since his usual resort was a wet wash cloth. Then, a woman in pretty pink dress with all smiles and kind eyes gave him a shot that knocked out Harry in seconds. 

The next thing he knew was that he was staring at big, bright blue eyes. It reminded Harry of the skies above; that he had forgotten had existed. Harry was only around Louis for a few minutes but he already found him so loud and boisterous. It made the five year old boy uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure how he was supposed to act around him.  
It had been months since he had company, since he had seen another soul other than the man dressed in black with the black mask. He couldn’t remember anyone else other than that strange man with the gruff voice and angry eyes. 

Harry had been prepared. He was prepared to follow orders. He was prepared for physical abuse. He was prepared for feeling hungry. He had been prepared for swallowing down pain. 

He had been prepared to obey. 

But...He hadn’t been prepared for Louis. 

Louis was asking far too many questions, questions which required making his own opinion. Frankly, that was the part that scared him the most. What if he was wrong? What if he made Louis angry? 

“Can you talk?” Louis asked once again. 

Harry quickly nodded in affirmative, misreading Louis’ worried glances to rejection. He was afraid that if he’d get rejected, would Louis send him back to the man with the angry eyes and black mask? Harry visibly shuddered and rampant chill ran down his spine like a snake. 

Talk Harry, talk! 

“I-” He started. 

Harry tried but nothing was coming out of his mouth, not even a syllable. He felt panic further cloud his head. He felt mentally anguished and his body was physically distressed.  
“Why don’t you say something, Hazza?” Louis prodded. Louis almost pouted unaware of Harry’s inner turmoil. 

Harry didn’t want to go back. He never wanted to go back to that terrible, horrible place. Please don’t send me back....Not to that dark, lonely room. Please...he pleaded mentally. Not to that room where his cries were stolen by the thick yellow walls and where the dreaded demons that he imagined were crawling towards him at night. He could still remember the taste of spoilt milk in his mouth and the dry food that was often was stuck in his throat. Harry couldn’t remember the number of times he felt so terrified that the world seemingly would turn upside down and he would find himself falling to the floor in a heap. 

He could still remember how cold the nights were and how lonely the days had been. Hoping for something new everytime he cracked his eyes open. His only solace was to talk to himself and converse with imaginary beings that he would create. Sometimes his own creations would turn malevolent and fear would consume him whole. Harry was on the verge of becoming mad. The worst of it all was that Harry couldn’t understand why he was in that room in the first place. He couldn’t remember. He felt something was missing but he didn’t understand what it was. He had dreams of a man and a woman but who were they? When he asked the man, he only got a harsh slap in return that stung his cheek for days. The man told him, that the only reason he was here and the only reason for his existence was to obey with no questions asked. The man hated questions. 

Listen and obey 

Harry’s tiny heart struck against his chest in cold fear and he finally started to breakdown. His chest hurt and his stomach felt heavy. Drop by drop tiny rivulets streamed down his cheek.  
“Oh no...Are you okay?” Louis asked softly. 

A new tear emerged from the corner of Harry’s eyes and his lower lip trembled slightly. 

Louis kneeled down so that his eyes could meet Harry’s watery ones. He wasn’t sure why Harry was crying. He felt terrible for making him cry. 

“You don’t have to talk, if you don’t want to” Louis whispered, his tone resigned. 

“I’m sorry” Louis apologized sincerely, looking down at the floor. 

Harry sniffled. 

“Here let me introduce you to Boo bear! He always cheers me up when I’m sad” Louis picked up his fluffy teddy and gave it to Harry. 

“Here hold him, you’ll feel much better” Louis told him. 

Harry held it in his hands. It was soft and fuzzy and it did make him feel better. He held it close to his chest and watched Louis with wide-rimmed teary eyes. 

“Do you feel better now?”

Harry nodded his head slowly, still unsure. 

“I told you, see!” 

“Boys! Breakfast” Christina yelled as she appeared at Louis’ door standing and smiling at the two. 

“Oh hello there” Christina greeted cautiously watching the curly boy hiding behind Louis’ frame, clutching his shirt tightly. 

For Harry, a new face meant battling a new fear.

“He’s a little shy, Christy” Louis explained like he had known Harry for years. 

Christina forced herself to smile. She wouldn’t lie. She found this strange but she hid it well and tried to accept the situation. “Aw, Harry is it? I’m Christina, if you need help with anything you can ask me, okay? Anything at all, you can come up to me, okay munchkin?” 

Harry nodded, his grip on Louis’ shirt easing dramatically. 

“Good, so now both of you downstairs right now! The first meal of the day is the...” 

“Most important meal of the day” Louis droned completing her sentence. 

“It’s your favourite today, darling” 

“Pancakes!” Louis replied immediately. 

He grabbed Harry’s hand and they both walked to the dining room. Louis almost dragging Harry since he was a little too slow. 

Louis’ excited countenance however, immediately disappeared when his mother informed him that his father had to leave due to some urgent work at the office.  
Louis felt his heart plummet but his face remained impassive. He looked at Harry and his smile returned albeit slowly. He helped Harry onto the chair and dragged his chair to sit close to him. 

“Pancakes! Pancakes!” Louis shouted fisting both the fork and knife in each of his tiny hands and banged them on the table. His mother was absent and hence Louis let his rowdy side out a bit more freely. 

Harry understood what they were. He could picture it in his head but he had never tasted one? So how could he know how they looked like? 

Christina served them both with hot pancakes and chocolate sauce to go with it. Lots and lots of chocolate sauce. 

Harry however didn’t touch his plate right away and just stared at Louis eating. It was intriguing. He was trying to figure this boy out. Every instinct in his head told him that he had to be fearful but could he be wrong? 

Louis had chocolate all over his mouth and his eating was similar to a wild animal feasting on their prey. 

“Eat Hazza, it’s really good” Louis urged. 

Harry’s mind registered it as an order and began to immediately cut a piece. He still needed to get used to his name. 

“Louis” Her mother called who appeared at the arch. Her tone slightly condescending. She gestured with her hand and dabbed her mouth with an imaginary napkin, telling her son  
to clean his mouth who was currently eating like a barbarian. 

Louis grinned sheepishly which made it worse since he had chocolate all over his teeth. His mother sighed. 

She watched the entire scene unfolding her; Louis and the boy eating...together. Somehow she didn’t like it. It didn’t feel right. A bitter taste filled her mouth. She didn’t like the fact that the boy from the sewers was sitting with her son at the same table, was eating the same food as her son and was being treated the same way as her son. She realized she had to draw boundaries if she wasn’t going to regret her decision, before Harry would start to believe he was an equal. Now, that would be outrageous and downright shameful. 

She immediately rectified problem number one. In minutes, Harry was translocated to the kitchen floor where he sat down cross-legged to eat. Harry didn’t mind. He had experienced far worse but he only wished he could watch Louis eat which was spectacularly entertaining. 

Louis protested but he immediately quietened down when his mother glared at him. 

Johanna calmly explained to Louis that there were certain rules he had to follow if he Harry was going to live with them. She let him know that Harry would not be allowed in the same bed nor should they share clothes. 

Louis was most upset when his mom told him that Harry wasn’t allowed to go to school with him. He really wanted Harry to be with him. He desperately wanted to know the reason why for all those rules. Why? Why? But he didn’t dare, not when his mom had already presented him with a wonderful present. 

Johanna felt a headache rising. Rick’s words pounding in her head. Would this be a mistake? She wondered. 

She had one final addition. Harry also had to wear a band of leather around his right ankle. It was to remind Harry that he was Louis’ property at all times. On the thick piece of leather, there were the words graved in ‘Property of Louis Tomlinson’. 

Harry didn’t bat an eyelid when the leather band was wrapped around his ankle. He didn’t even fully understand it. To him, it was just another piece of jewellery, another rule he had to follow. 

Harry’s first day at the manor was sensory overload. Louis took him on a whirlwind. It somehow felt he had every second planned since he never seemed to run out of ideas. Despite the various activities they’ve participated together, Harry had yet to utter a word. He was mute as a book and still had certain inhibitions about speaking out loud. He presented to Louis almost like a doll. 

They constructed models out of legos, coloured and drew countless ridiculous figures. Louis had introduced him to his entire collection of toys. Louis showed him his collection of board games. He showed his patch of garden and told him that Harry could have his beside his own. He showed him everything and anything. It was like, someone had opened the floodgates and Harry was trying to swim in that ocean of water that was erupting from Louis. 

Every second Harry experienced was exhilarating and he felt himself thawing to life, slowly from Louis’ warmth. The sudden feeling of lightness in his chest and the desire to want to smile was astonishingly new to him.

“Hazza, you’ve got tiny craters in your cheeks!” Lou exclaimed when he had accidentally smiled to one of Louis’ theatrical antics. He poked his tiny finger inside it. Harry didn’t believe it until he felt them with his own hand. 

Harry was used to feeling alone, deserted and starving for something he could never really understand. Being with Louis, playing around he felt such surge of strange emotions. 

He felt…happy. 

It was such a foreign emotion that it confused him. He wondered if this wasn’t only a dream that he’d wake up to when the day breaks. 

Louis talked about a lot of things. He talked about food, about football, about the most random things that came to his mind and school...Harry didn’t know what school was and he didn’t really understand Louis’ stories about it. Harry could recognize letters and a few words. He didn’t understand why he could but he did but his reading skills were quite poor. 

“Hazza, let’s go outside” Louis jumped off the couch abruptly, turning of the television. 

Harry was starting to get used to Louis’ sudden mood changes. His spontaneity made his mind reel. He was Harry’s complete opposite. Harry was stable, quiet and appeared pensive while Louis was never in the same place for greater than two seconds not to mention loud and jumpy. 

Harry borrowed Louis’ winter gear, scarfs and gloves.

They played out with the snow which Harry absolutely learned to love. He was absolutely in love with the white gold. The coldness, the colour and the way it felt between his fingers. They both made a smaller snow man beside the original one and Louis named the taller one Louis and the smaller one as Harry unbeknownst to them that the roles would be reversed in the future. 

Harry hadn’t spoken yet but he was far less rigid. The imprint of his past was ever present like a heavy dullness but it was being shadowed with his mind filling up with Louis Louis Louis Louis. 

Harry found himself smiling more often and sometimes he'd let out a laugh. 

Harry felt like a child again. A proper, normal child. 

Louis enjoyed every second he spent with his new toy. Harry was perfect, beyond perfect really. Harry never seemed to get bored with his stories and he looked genuinely interested in everything he’d suggest. He only wished he could talk but he didn’t want to make Harry cry again. 

During dinner with his mother, they were separated again which made Louis want to whine but he wouldn’t.

Louis ate quicker than usual earning an eye brow raise from his mother. And for his birthday, Christina had baked him a beautiful cheese cake. Louis never had a birthday party before, with cake and balloons and a house filled with rampant, wild kids all trying to tear the walls down. Yet, Louis never asked for one. He had been content with spending time with his parents since his birthday was one of those days where they both had to be present. 

He managed to sneak in a piece of cheese cake. A large piece of it in a clothed napkin. 

Christina showed Harry his room after dinner which had been quiet brief. It was small and basic with a single bed and a bedside drawer. Harry was drained emotionally and physically. He was exhausted and sleep came to him quickly when he lied on top of his bed. Harry was already fast asleep when he was startled awake with Louis’ incessant calling. 

Harry sat up immediately showing no sign of annoyance but only subservience. 

“Hazza, Haz I got you cake. Do you like cake?" Louis asked, unwrapping the cloth. 

Harry didn’t answer because he couldn’t remember eating cake before. 

Louis took the chunk of cake in his hand. 

“Say ah Harry!” Louis urged who sitting on his heels at the foot of the bed. 

Harry opened his mouth slightly not sure what Louis intentions were. Louis’ own mouth turned into an ‘o’ as he pushed the cake into Harry's mouth. The cake seemed to spread more over Harry's face than inside his mouth but Harry’s eyes lit up when the taste hit him like meteor. 

“Do you like it?” Louis asked. 

Harry nodded enthusiastically. It was so, so good. 

Louis smiled in satisfaction. He watched his toy eat up every little crumb, licking every finger up. Louis laid back on the bed and watched Harry eat in fascination. Everything his toy did was captivating. He liked watching it happy, especially if it was because of him. Wait, till Zayn would hear about this!  
Louis then dragged Harry to his room like he was a ragdoll. Louis knew he wasn’t supposed to let Harry share his bed but he figured he could break rules on his birthday.

Louis stood up on the bed while he read the story of the Ugly Duckling while Harry sat on the bed cross-legged listening to Louis with reverence, his eyes fixed on the blue-eyed boy. Not even the movement of the tectonic plates could break Harry’s stare. Louis even made different voices for the diversity of characters and it made Harry giggle and smile and made him awe at Louis. The story somewhat resonated in Harry’s mind even after the story had been completed and he gazed at the pictures of the lost duckling and the profound happiness it regained when it finally finds the place to which it belongs. 

Harry clutched Boobear against his chest and contemplated on what a day it had been. 

“Good night Hazza” Louis whispered and smiled lazily feeling absolutely satisfied for the first time on his birthday. Today was the most perfect, amazing birthday he’d had. 

“Tomorrow’s Christmas Hazza. We’ll have so much more fun” He promised. 

Louis’ eyes were fluttering shut. “I wish you could say something” He murmured tiredly. 

So Harry did. His throat felt dry all of a sudden. He wanted to push past his fear. He didn't want to disappoint Louis anymore. He wanted to so many things, all at once that it made his head confused.

“L-Louis” 

Louis didn't even hear it. A small mumble that was lost midway. "Louis" Harry called a little louder this time, placing his hand against Louis' forearm. Louis’ sleepy eyes immediately widened. 

This time he had heard it, loud and clear. He couldn't believe it!

“Hazza, you can speak!” Louis exclaimed shaking the curly boy. 

Harry looked at him sheepishly, trying to hide behind his curls. “Hi” He whispered which only made Louis grin wider and brighter. 

Harry had only uttered a single word but it was enough for Louis. The two exhausted boys soon fell asleep with Harry tucked in Louis’ embrace and boo bear tucked in Harry’s. 

For the first time, Harry felt like he was being protected from those wretched demons who were always willing to claw at his chest at night. For the first time, Harry felt safe. 

Harry was absolutely sure of one thing. 

Louis was his hero.


	4. The Childhood Part 2

THREE MONTHS LATER  
“Lou?”

“Lou, where are you?” Harry asked to no one in particular. 

The house was a maze. Harry wasn't able to fully navigate through the house on his own yet. 

Harry lost track of time. He searched high and low for the blue-eyed boy but he couldn’t find him anywhere! 

They played hide and seek before but it never took him this long before and that scared him.

“Louis” He whimpered. Where was he? 

Strange scenarios kept popping up in his head. What if someone had taken him away? What if he’d never see Louis again? 

Harry’s head clouded in fear at the thought of his dear Louis put away in the evil dark room. 

He walked into the kitchen to find Christina busily chopping vegetables while whistling a tune happily. 

Harry liked Christina. She reminded him of dough. All round, soft and nice. He walked and tugged on her apron. 

“Christina, d-do you know where Louis is?” He asked. 

“Oh sweetie! What’s wrong?” She asked, throwing the knife away and crouched down to meet the five year old. 

Harry wiped his teary eye with the back of his hand. “I can’t find Louis anywhere” 

“Oh dear” She replied, although she now tried containing her smile. 

“Where could that old rascal be?” She wondered out aloud. 

“Could he be in there?” She pondered, acting like she was deep in thought. She pointed to the cupboard underneath the sink. 

Harry bent down and pulled open the cupboard, and to his grief Louis wasn’t in there. Harry looked like he was about to cry again. “He’s not there” 

“Harry, sweetie, Louis is here somewhere. Now, dry those eyes Mister” 

Harry sniffled cutely. 

“Here I’ll give you a clue!” She pointed to the laundry room. She patted his curls and ushered him over there. 

He hadn’t been to the Laundry room before. It was usually out of boundaries. 

Harry slowly opened the door, turning on the knob while he stood on his tippy-toes. 

The washing machines buzzed to their usual hum-drum and the dryers whizzed bored. In the corner was a huge pile of washed linen and clothes that had yet to be folded. 

Harry walked slowly, cautiously to the huge mound. Before he could investigate further, his heart had stopped briefly. 

“BOO!” 

Louis popped from the white linen, hands up in the air. Louis laughed to his content unaware that Harry was having his own melt down. 

“Harry?” Louis called, as he watched Harry wiping his eyes furiously trying to hide his tears. 

“R’ you okay Hazza?” Louis mumbled as he almost tumbled down from the basket and fell flat on his face. 

“Hazza” Louis called and gathered Harry in his arms. 

Harry slowly wound his arms around the blue-eyed lad and tightened his hold. He wanted to tell Louis how scared he had been, how he had imagined that he had been taken away from him. 

Harry burrowed his head in Louis’ chest, his shirt soaking up the salty tears. 

“Hazza, it’s just a game” He chastised lightly, unsure on how to soothe the ball of curls in his chest. 

“Come on, Hazza smile!” He said, stretching Harry’s lips which only made Harry frown appear denser when he let go of his cheeks. 

Louis cross-eyed and stuck his tongue which made Harry’s lips twitch. 

“Rrrraw....coming to get you” Louis roared, stomping his foot like a monster, clawing his fingers. 

Harry’s tears had stopped completely and he looked at Louis wide eyed. He turned to run but Louis grabbed him by the stomach while Harry squealed, laughter bubbling out. 

“Lou! Lou! Lou put me down!” 

“Never! I shall eat your all your guts out first! Mm...yummy” Louis mimicked making his voice low and gruff. 

He held Harry by his abdomen and lifted him up. 

“Louis!” He squealed, laughing. 

Louis then threw the curly boy on the soft linen and began to tickle his sides. “Uh...Lou – St-Stop-”

Harry’s tears of sadness were replaced with painful tears of joy. He laughed quite hard as Louis continued to tickle him. Louis placed his legs on either side to establish a more fervent tickle. 

“LOU-WEEE” Harry squealed. 

Louis laughed along with and made chomping noises like he was eating up Harry’s guts nuzzling his stomach with his nose. 

He stopped abruptly, towering over Harry. “Much better” Louis concluded as he poked Harry’s dimples.  
________________________________________

Two years later  
Louis: 9  
Harry: 7 

It was beautiful summer day and the sun seemed to never set even though it was close to five in the evening. It wasn’t too hot or cold. It was perfect for a birthday party. They were celebrating one of Louis’ classmates – Caroline Flack’s birthday. 

Several chairs and a table had been set up on the lawn. A huge chocolate cake in the shape of a Disney princess was placed in the centre. 

Balloons were scattered over the lawn and the table was decorated with paper ribbons. 

The birthday girl stood out from the rest of the crowd with her bright pink dress and a beautiful glittery headband to go with it. She looked lovely and was positively glowing with all the attention her friends and family were giving her. 

She had invited all her classmates and few of the neighbours. So the crowd wasn’t imploding. 

Louis and Zayn had a plan up their sleeves, both of them exchanging secretive glances and snickering. They weren’t too fond of Caroline, in fact Caroline and Louis were in complete agreement – they didn’t like each other. He knew the only reason she invited him was that she could show off. He knew this was his chance to return that favor. Harry sat next to Louis like a true gentleman. He sat up straight with hands clasped together observing the surroundings around him. Harry was just another kid of Louis' employees that happened to stay at Louis’ house. No one except Zayn knew the truth about the leather band on Harry’s right ankle. 

The birthday song had begun and the kids began to sing in a somewhat broken tune.  
Louis and Zayn weren’t singing. They couldn’t care less. They were sneaking their hands into their bags and pulled out two charged water guns filled with bright pink coloured water. 

“Can’t wait to see her face when I splatter her with this” Zayn whispered grinning evilly.  
The song had ended and the parents were helping her cut the cake while the rest drooled.  
Louis snickered in response. He glanced at Harry who looked absolutely mesmerized by the entire setting. He clasped his hands together and his eyes were emitting sort of an ‘awe’ expression. 

“Harry is such a girl” Zayn mocked.

“Shut up Zayn” Louis scowled, his eyes narrowing. 

“It’s true, look at him” He repeated, trying not to laugh again. 

Louis punched Zayn in the arm but it wasn’t hateful or hard. Zayn was fun but it annoyed him when he’d tease Harry. They both never got along, it was frustrating. 

“Lou, should we give her the present yet?” Harry asked innocently complete with long eyelashes and curls falling over his face. 

“Well Zayn and I have something to give her first” Louis replied, his eyes out of focus and tone distracted. 

“Come on Lou” Zayn gestured, placing the gun behind his back.

Harry watched both of them in confusion. He wasn’t too fond of the black haired boy. Lou’s attention on him was always diverted with Zayn around. 

Louis and Zayn walked up to her, hands clasped behind their backs, weapons concealed. They tried suppressing their chuckles by rolling their lips into their mouths. 

“Happy Birthday Caroline” Zayn smiled akin to a shark. 

Caroline giggled. “Thank you Zayn” and turned to face Louis awaiting for his greetings too. 

“Yeah, Happy Birthday!” Louis grinned, pulling out the gun and pressed the trigger which began spraying pink water all over her face. 

Pink rivulets cascaded from her face down to her dress. 

She was first frozen with shock but then when she saw Zayn press the trigger too, then came the screaming. She screamed until her vocal cords thinned out. 

The rest gasped and giggled, watching the show like it had been previously planned. 

However their little prank was stopped too soon. 

“Boys! Boys!” Her mom cried, who was currently holding a tray filled with drinks. 

Caroline wailed now. There were a few ‘ohs’ and there were a few laughs but no one had come to calm her down. 

Louis and Zayn laughed until their weapons were seized by an angry father who glared down at them. 

“Mummy, look!” She cried pointing down to her ruined. 

“Boys! How dare you? It’s her birthday!” Her mom chastised. 

“We were just giving her a surprise. That’s what birthdays are for isn’t it?” Zayn questioned, his eyes blown up wide.

“That was completely uncalled for. I’ll be calling your parents right now” Her mother huffed angrily. 

“Apologize right now!” His father reprimanded them. 

“Sorry Caroline” They both apologized together, not sorry at all. 

Caroline had narrowed her eyes together and she was furious. She glared at them. She took her plastic glass that was filled with soda and flipped it on to Louis. 

Zayn’s mouth dropped but couldn’t help laughing out loud. 

“Wha- ” Louis shuddered, wiping his face. 

Caroline stuck her tongue out while her mother dragged inside to change her dress. 

Harry walked up to Lou offering him a tissue. “Lou, why did you do that?” He asked. 

Louis shrugged while taking the offered tissue and Zayn discreetly pushed Harry away with his shoulder. “Harreh, why don’t you go play with the dolls with the girls over there?” He mocked. 

Harry furrowed his brows and went back to his place. He really didn’t like Zayn. What’s wrong with playing with the girls? They were so nice to him. 

Caroline had banned both Zayn and Louis from any of the party games. Harry however was actively pulled into the group of girls. They all liked Harry a little too much. They all liked his curly hair a little too much and his dimples too. 

Louis and Zayn sulked around the party and waited for their cars to arrive so they could leave this miserable place. Their water guns were confiscated and they both quarreled for a sometime on whose idea it had been and how stupid it was and that they should’ve gone with plan B where they’d push her face into the cake. 

They both finally agreed on eating the said cake and watching television on their couch. Louis had accidentally dropped his drink and Zayn had accidentally squeezed sauce on the carpet when he had intended to put it on his plate. 

The parents guffawed at their behavior. 

“Let’s go check on what those girls are doing” Louis said after only thirteen minutes had passed. He knew he wasn’t allowed but he couldn’t care less. 

Zayn had food smeared all over his face and he was pushing more cake into his mouth. “Coming” He mumbled with his mouth full. 

They quietly creeped up the stairs and slowly opened the door to Caroline’s room. 

“What the....” Zayn spoke, pieces of cake flying out of his mouth. 

Louis was confused at first but then it all made sense. Caroline was wearing a transparent veil and a flower crown on top of her head. She managed to put some disgusting stuff on her lips which made them far pinker. She was wearing heels which were obviously too big for her, owned by her mother perhaps. The other girls were giggling and wearing ridiculous stuff as they stood by her. Some were making flower crowns. There was one girl who stood behind a desk with fake glasses. There was another group who played with the kitchen props. 

All that giggling made Louis want to puke. 

And Harry....

Harry was wearing a flower crown too. He was wearing a suit that was too big, the lapels were leaning against the floor and he was smiling too much. Why the hell was he grinning like a fool? 

Some other stupid girl handed a bunch of daffodils to hold. 

“Can I be next Caroline?” A girl complained, tapping her nails. She was bored to death with everything centering on Caroline. 

Caroline narrowed her eyes. “I’m not done yet! Come on Harry, hold my hands!” She demanded. 

It all made sense to Louis then. 

They were reenacting a wedding scene. 

The girl behind the desk started muttering some non-sense. 

“Now, you may kiss the bride” She exclaimed. 

But Harry only stood there, so Caroline giggled “Like this Harry” and she kissed him briefly on the cheek. 

A few girls giggled.

Before anything could actually happen, Harry’s right arm was being pulled by Louis. 

“Lo-What are you doing here?” She bellowed. She was furious. 

She chucked her flowers away and held onto Harry’s other hand, pulling Harry towards her. 

“What are you doing Louis?!” Caroline barked and pulled harder, causing Harry to jerk towards her. 

Louis pulled harder in response resulting in Harry jumping from one side to another. 

“Umm...” Harry mumbled, standing in the middle clearly feeling uncomfortable. 

“Give Harry back!” She cried. 

“Let go!” Louis yelled. 

“No, you let go!” 

“No you let go!” Louis retorted. 

“You’re ruining everything” She wailed clutching Harry harder. 

“Harry – is –mine” Louis huffed angrily. 

Caroline only grunted in response. “Well, two boys can’t marry each other” She replied sardonically. 

Louis wasn’t sure on how to respond to that statement. 

“Umm...Lou it hurts” Harry whimpered in discomfort. 

“You’re hurting him, let go!” Louis was now on the verge of losing his patience. 

But Caroline was adamant. “No! No – N-ah. Ouch!” 

Louis held onto Harry’s arm with one hand and grabbed Caroline’s hair in the other, nearly ripping a chunk off her scalp.

“Ow! Ow! My hair! Mummmy!” Caroline cried, partially letting go of Harry’s arm. Hot tears enveloped her face. Her friends gathered to help her while one had already called the parent. 

Zayn was laughing watching the entire scene, only wishing he had brought more cake upstairs. 

“Oh my goodness, Louis! Let go of my daughter’s hair immediately! Now!” Mrs. Flack demanded.  
________________________________________

Twenty minutes later

Harry and Louis were sitting in the back of a limousine with Louis’ mother who was currently talking on the phone. 

His mother hadn’t said a word till now. Harry squirmed beside him. He never really liked Mrs. Tomlinson. Her stare alone sent shivers down his spine. 

Once they reached their house, Harry was dismissed and Louis was sent up to her study. 

Before Louis even entered the study, Johanna started to scold. “This will not happen again Louis. Never again. Do I make myself clear?” She asked.

“Yes mum” 

“Next time. Harry stays here. You will not be taking him to wherever you wish and definitely not creating a scene again” 

Louis nodded. “Sorry mum” 

Johanna sighed. She couldn’t have been more embarrassed when that lowly mother of Louis’ classmate was complaining about her son. Who the hell was she anyway? 

“Now, get cleaned, you look filthy and get to bed” 

He was about to leave when he decided he wanted to ask something that was bugging him throughout the evening. 

“M-Mum” Louis called, wanting to ask her a question. 

Johanna asked her son to be quiet with a finger against her lips while she answered a ringing phone. 

Louis exhaled noisily and left the room. 

Harry was waiting for him downstairs, his coat still on along with his flower crown. 

Christina helped both Harry and Louis get cleaned and fed. Throughout the entire process Louis was quiet. 

Louis was never quiet. 

Both the boys were now lying on their beds ready to fall asleep. 

Louis still hadn’t said a word since they had left the birthday party and it made Harry nervous and anxious. 

“Lou” 

Lou just turned on his side away from Harry. 

Harry jumped on his knees and bent over him to look at his face. 

“Get off Hazza”

“Why did you get mad Lou? Is that game bad?” 

“It’s not bad. I just – I just” 

Louis groaned. “Get off Hazza. I need to sleep” 

Harry curled on to the bed on the other side, sighing. 

A few minutes passed when Louis suddenly sprung up from his cocoon and turned Harry to face him and did something that surprised both Harry and himself. 

He quickly kissed him on the cheek and then immediately covered himself with a blanket turning away from Harry. He wanted to get rid of Caroline’s disgusting imprint of her lips on Harry. He was only helping him. 

Harry just blinked. It happened way too fast that he didn’t process what had happened. He tried removing Louis’ blanket away from his face but Louis clutched it hard. 

“Stop Hazza” He yelled but his voice was all muffled. 

“Lou” Harry whined. 

“Sleep Hazza” He demanded through the blanket. 

Harry pouted. “Lou, why did you that?”

“Go to sleep Harry!” Louis mumbled once more. 

Harry huffed and fell back on to his pillow. “Good night Lou” He murmured.

Silence pursued and Louis was on the brink of sleeping when Harry broke it apart. “Lou?” He called 

“Hmm” Came the reply. 

“Is it true? Two boys can’t marry each other?” He asked. 

“I don’t know” He replied groggily. 

Harry frowned on hearing his reply. Caroline told him that people got married when they loved each other and so they could live with each other forever. So now he couldn’t do that with Louis? 

“Oh” He replied, disappointment in his voice as clear as day. 

Louis slowly pulled his blanket down so that his eyes could be seen and slowly his entire face became visible 

Louis furrowed his brows and stated seriously “But I’ll marry you Harry”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the Childhood parts?? This chapter will mark the end of their childhood and the next chapter will feature their adolescence stage and finally the real deal - The adult stage where the real story will start.


	5. The Adolescence Part 1

PART 1  
_FOUR YEARS LATER_

  
Louis: 13  
Harry: 11

  
The calendar was nearing its gloomy end and the fact that it was the thirteenth twenty-fourth December Louis was celebrating didn’t spark an inkling of excitement in the lad. Temperature dropped to a new low which only made it harder for Louis to get out of bed. The clock signified seven. He rolled over to the other side and patted with his hand for the other oh so familiar body. Finding only coldness, Louis cracked one eye open and inwardly groaned when he only found rumpled blankets and a dipped mattress. Louis pulled the duvet over his head, already hoping today would end soon. Exactly one hour later, he was woken up by the scent of strong perfume and nails digging into the flesh of his shoulder.

“Louis darling, wake up” A feminine voice called soothingly.  

Louis fluttered his eyes open and upon realizing its his mother he sat up straight, quick like lightning even though his head was still in bed.

“Happy Birthday, sweetheart. I can’t believe it! My baby is thirteen now!” She fussed and planted a kiss lovingly on Louis’ cheek creating a stamp of her lips.

Louis smiled and used his sleeves to wipe off the pink stain. “Thanks mum”

Johanna looked at herself in the mirror and fixed her hair and smoothed down her crisp whiten button down shirt.

“You going somewhere?” Louis asked, pushing his duvet aside.

“I have a dinner with one of the minister – John Tisdale. Have a little chat about taxes. I’ll be back before Christmas dinner”

Louis nodded. Nothing new there. “It’s absolutely important that I meet him. You’ll understand once you take over the business” She remarked like that was enough explanation before clicking her heels towards his door. 

“Your gifts are in the living room” She added before closing the door shut.

Louis fell back on the bed, trying to ‘understand’ that there were far more important things his mother had to attend other than staying in for his birthday. A knock followed and the door opened “Master Tomlinson – a package has arrived from your father” Walter announced.

Louis raised his hand to signify he had gotten the message.

“Happy Birthday Louis” Walter wished. 

Louis gestured with his raised thumb that he had gotten the second message before slipping back under the warm blankets.

  
The clock signified ten when Louis finally got sick of just rolling in his bed and forcing himself to go to sleep when his brain was chattering like a non-stop radio station.

  
Louis brushed his teeth, showered and pulled on a pair of jeans and t-shirt. There was no sign of Harry, still. He walked downstairs and into the living room to check out what his mother had bought him. He wasn’t excited. The joy of discovering on what was underneath the ambiguous paper had simmered down to a minus. Besides he never needed to wait for birthdays or Christmas to get what he wanted. One verbal order and it was enough for the object to materialize in front of his eyes. It didn’t matter what it was or how much it cost, one snap of his fingers and it had to be done. He didn’t even know why his mother bothered to follow this tradition of ‘buying presents’ when she couldn’t even be present on his birthday.

Louis sighed in relief when he found the latest gaming console unwrapped and a small carton of games besides it. On the couch was the latest apple laptop unopened in its shiny plastic covered box. Oh, and a guitar from his dad. He mentally thanked his mom and dad for not wrapping it up and giving him the extra job of tearing it apart.  
He didn’t even bother unboxing them. He’d look at them later.

The Christmas tree was decorated and everything in his house was in ‘season’ but what was the point when there was no spirit to go with it.

“HARRY!” He yelled. “Where the hell are you?” He whispered.

"HAZZA" He yelled again, seconds later. Patience was not one of Louis' best traits. 

Before he could reach the kitchen, a mop of curls bounced right in front of him.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOU!” He exclaimed. Small craters in his cheeks seemed to deepen even more than last year and before he knew it, the small bull of curled excitement hugged him.

“Hazza” Louis laughed.

Louis blinked. Harry was covered with a thin film of flour and he smelled sweet. He didn’t know how it was possible for his adorableness to increase with every passing year. He tousled Harry’s hair lovingly.

Harry’s mouth made a small ‘o’ and he ran back into the kitchen. He went up to get a plate sitting innocently on the kitchen counter.He picked it up and hid it behind his body.

“What’s that?” Louis asked trying to peek at the hidden object.

“I-I made this for you” Harry squeaked, eyes fixed to the floor.

He then slowly revealed it presenting it with both his hands; nervousness etched clearly on his face.It was a small round cake, with the words ‘Lou’ written messily on top of it and a small heart next to it.

“You did this by yourself?” Louis asked. He wasn’t completely surprised since Harry had taken quite a liking to the kitchen unlike himself but it was the first time Harry had cooked a proper dish on his own.

Harry nodded but then cocked his head to the side. “Well, Christina helped a little too”

“Only a little” He clarified, grinning when Louis chuckled.

“It looks really good” Louis complimented, swiping a finger to taste the cream. Louis’ eyes widened comically. It tasted amazing, so perfect.

Louis grabbed the miniature cake and took a huge chunk off it till his mouth was completely full of it, because he was an idiot and frankly he couldn’t wait for a knife and fork and all that civilized crap. He knew if his mother ever saw him in this state, she would throw a fit for sure. Chocolate burst forth from the deeper layers and Louis hummed making him stand on his toes in utter delight.

“Mmmm...It’s so good Hazza”

Harry beamed like the sun. Even brighter so...He stood there watching Louis moan and consume half his cake and it made his heart whistle with happiness.  
It wasn’t his first time baking a cake and he had few practice runs before the special day and he was glad his relentless practice did turn out fruitful. The cake was just spongy enough, the icing sweet enough.

“Here, take a bite.” Louis mumbled as he pushed the remaining cake into Harry’s mouth, smearing it all over his mouth mostly. Louis laughed while Harry tried to squeeze everything in his mouth.

“Lmmmphh—ouis” Harry whined with too much cake in his mouth. Ever since the first day when he had arrived at the mansion and Louis fed him cheesecake, this had become a tradition- stuffing Harry’s mouth with cake. Added to the fact that Harry didn’t have a proper birthday Louis deemed that he share his birthday.

“I love it, best birthday gift ever” Louis told him truthfully as he removed strands of long unruly overgrown curls away from his face, some unfortunate and stuck to his face with icing.

Harry’s eyes lit up. He smiled brightly with cake in his mouth. He absolutely loved it when Louis complimented him. His day would suddenly become a thousand times brighter. Once they finished cleaning up the last bits of cake, they both washed up spraying water on each other from the tap as they did so. Despite the growing number, their remnants of childishness were intact.

“Come on Harry, we have to try out the new games” Louis told him as he walked to the living room.

“Lou! Can we go out in the snow first?”

“Do we _have_ to Haz?” Louis whined but gave up soon when Harry looked at him with those familiar large mossy eyes.

Louis over the years grew less impulsive but his inner child was vibrant as ever. It wasn't willing to disappear so quickly. Like any other year, Harry and Louis built snowmen; one big and the other small. Harry positively glowed looking at them. Just like the past few years, they spent running across the lawn hitting each other with snow – giggling and laughing. There was one small addition; a small sledge for Harry to sit and Louis to pull across their bumpy snow-covered lawns. 

“Faster Lou, faster!” Harry screamed.

  
Harry laughed when Louis tried to run faster but ended tripping over a mound of snow, face planting in the cold snow. Harry with his gloved hands brushed off the snow, a few lingered in his long eyelashes and Louis fluttered his eyelashes which only made Harry stare in wonder.

After several fights and running around aimlessly, they’ve returned back to the warmth of the mansion where Louis immediately unboxed and plugged in the new console. Louis let Harry sit in his lap while he taught Harry on how to handle the controller. Harry had troubles at first but he somehow managed to play at the end albeit mediocrely.

Time ticked by as the hill of wrappers and empty chip bags grew steadily on the couch.

Christina called them for lunch and then for afternoon tea but none of them budged from the television set, eyes trained and fingers glued to the controller and Harry stuck in Louis’ lap where he occasionally had to move and sit on the floor to relieve Louis’ thighs of the constant weight. Laughter, and words of encouragement and sometimes exasperation filled the living room.

Zayn had invited himself over at four, wished him happy birthday and brought him a remote controlled aircraft that was thrown in the corner while he sat to play.

Harry and Zayn still had trouble getting along with each other. He’d call him toy or something equally derogatory so that Harry would get a hint to disappear. Louis would glare but Zayn would point out that he was only stating facts. Harry removed himself from Louis’ lap and remained quiet while the two older boys competed creating a ratchet in the process. Harry was in utmost joy when Zayn had to leave early on the account of Christmas eve. Zayn indulged in both traditions Eastern and Western and he honoured Christmas for the sake of his mum.

It was back to Harry and Louis once again, just like it always was in the end. Just like it always should be. Harry loved spending time with Louis. He would do anything Louis wanted him to do, to be honest.

Night fell and Louis felt sick from eating hordes of junk. Harry tried to feed him a healthy dinner but Louis opted to the lesser healthy option. He had to make most of his birthday before he was back to vegetables and fruits and all that healthy stuff that his mother was strict about. Something about a healthy body made a healthy mind crap. 

“Are you okay Lou?”

“I’m fine Haz, it’ll pass” Louis replied, lying on his back with a hand on his tummy unwilling to admit defeat. Harry climbed up on to the bed and lied next to Louis, like he did for the past six years. Harry gently laid a hand on Louis’ stomach and tried soothing it by smooth gentle strokes.

“Does it hurt Lou?”

“A little but I’m fine. Sleep Hazza” Louis replied, kissing him on the forehead and then his cheek for good measure.Harry instantly smiled in response and snuggled closer to the newly thirteen year old.

“I’ll always be with you, right Lou?” Harry asked, unconsciously gripping Louis’ shirt.

“Always” Louis replied seriously before both of them falling asleep in each other’s arms.

* * *

 

**_14 MONTHS LATER_ **

 

Time brought change. Change that Harry was starting to find difficult with.

Apparently ‘always’ didn’t mean like they used to and always really just meant ‘till the near foreseeable future’.

It was another restless night for Harry. He twisted and turned in his scruffy, creaking single bed. Shouldn’t he be used to it by now? Sleeping alone? He was used to this since five or six months before.

Harry had grown to have Louis beside him in his bed. Louis’ warm embrace. Louis’ shallow breaths and half-lidded eyes with long lashes. Louis’ heartbeat that he would listen to when he’d pull him closer after a bad dream. He had grown to love their tangled feet in the morning or waking up to Louis jumping up and down on their bed or when he’d whisper his name in his ear to wake him up.

For six years...For six wonderful years he had woken up to look at blue eyes first thing in the morning.  
Now it all seemed like it had been a dream and the only memories he had of such mornings were in his head that were soon becoming blurred day by day.

He could remember the conversation between them like it had happened yesterday.

_“Harry...you can’t sleep in here anymore”_

_“What? Why not Lou?” Harry asked, who was distracted watering his plants. Was Lou pulling his leg?_

_“You can’t.” Louis replied stubbornly._

_“But why? I don’t understand”_

_“God, Harry. Could you stop with the grilling? I need my own space now.”_

_Harry flinched. “Okay”_

Harry sighed. His eyes stretching open of their own accord.

They still spent time together. Kind of. Louis had such a busy life now. He went to school. When he came home, he would do his homework. He had music lessons. He played football. On the weekends, he had friends who took half the time away from Harry and the other half time they were allowed to spend time-together, Harry tried to beseech him like a leech. But even then, they had constrained conversations and awkward moments. Louis started to repeatedly use the word ‘kid’.

_“You’re just a kid Harry, you wouldn’t understand”_

Harry felt useless. He couldn’t keep Louis interested. There was always something better to do than spend time with his Hazza.

They were drifting apart.

Harry curled around the duvet and tried to sleep but his eyes peeled wide open and he stared at the empty space next to him. He missed Louis’ warm body to cocoon him. He wanted to cry and wail like a small kid but who was he to make such demands? He was only a toy after all. It now seems that his purpose was coming to an end. Harry’s chest ached. His fingers followed the leather band on his ankle and sighed. He hoped he never had to remove this. He would always be Louis’ right?

* * *

  
Harry watched Louis kick the ball around with Zayn, laughing. Louis’ hair shone bright in the sun making his brown hair darker and his cheeriness made the day far more beautiful.

“Harry, come on let’s show this tosser how we play!” Louis shouted while nudging Zayn further away.

  
Harry got up even though his bones were exhausted and sweat trickled down his face. This could be the only time he would spend time with Louis this week and he didn’t want to waste a second of it. He dragged his heavy body towards the two boys. Harry was an absolute trash at playing football but with Louis he seemed to be getting better at it.

“Haz, pass, Haz!”

Harry kicked it, albeit awkwardly nearly twisting his ankle but in the end he made it and Louis had kicked into the goal net.

Louis ran up to Harry to give him a victory embrace. It didn’t matter that they were both dripping with sweat and smelt worse than decomposing sack of onions. Harry tightened his hold on the slender blue-eyes body and grinned.

Harry’s life revolved around Louis. Day in, day out. Louis had become his prime obsession. However irrational the obsession may seem, it was completely reasonable in Harry’s eyes. Harry’s fixation was deep rooted from a young age and Harry was sheltered. His boundaries were drawn around the mansion and school was an alien concept to him. His only adventures were either going into the attic or up the tree house, sometimes at night if he was going to be really brave.

He had never been to school, never stepped inside one only listening to Louis’ stories about it. From what he heard from Louis, school sounded like a massive bore so Harry hadn’t felt too bad for missing out. Harry was almost always at home, tending to minor duties around the house. Cooking, washing, gardening which Harry had started to grow accustom to.

Louis had a life outside the walls of the mansion. He had friends, he had football and school and a future that he was working hard for.

Harry had nothing. He only had Louis.

“Great game Haz” Louis complimented, patting him on the head before he jogged inside to get a shower. Harry internally glowed, rubbing down the mud that had gotten stuck on his hands when Zayn had accidentally pushed him or so he says.

Zayn and Louis disappeared inside. Zayn probably went home or sometimes he’d stay for the night and watch movies with both of them. Harry wished Zayn had gone home.  
Harry and Zayn’s relationship was still strained even after countless years. Zayn found it hard to believe that Harry was one of them. Harry had always felt that Zayn was standing on an invisible pedestal, a very high pedestal when he talked to him. To him, Harry was just another sub-par mediocre, poor boy who was lucky enough to be able to spend time with people like Zayn and Louis.

Harry showered and dressed up in comfortable pajamas that Louis had once owned. His wardrobe was littered with Louis’ clothes that have become too old or dirty. He had no clothes that were bought for Harry except for underwear. He combed his hair with his hand and almost ran up to Louis’ room.

What Harry didn’t expect was Louis to vanish from the house not even without a single ‘see you later’. Louis room was desolated and neither of the dynamic duo were present. Harry leaned against the door and sighed.

Was Harry becoming invisible as time passed? Harry didn’t understand. He missed Louis who always stood beside him. He missed the Louis who looked at him like he was the best thing that ever happened to him. The rejection was subtle and so gradual but every small difference struck him like a dagger. The space between them was ever so increasing.

* * *

 

Louis’ life was to put in simple terms was -scheduled. School, homework, football which alternated with tennis, music where he learned both the piano and the violin. He also had a freaking class about etiquette that his mother forced him to join. He hardly had any time to relax. On the weekends he was allowed time to hang out with Zayn who on the other hand had no reins. Art was the only thing Zayn liked to do and everything else was bullshit according to him. His parents were extremely supportive and spoiled him silly, not to mention who were the only ones in his class who hadn’t been divorced yet. They seemed to support him no matter what he did. It was blind love at its best. It was excruciating to watch the happy family when he’d be invited over for a friendly dinner.

Louis’ father made a guest cameo appearances in his life. The stretch of time between his visits were so lengthy that Louis sometimes had difficulty remembering how his father looked like. The only bonding they would do was over golf which Louis despised with a passion. Every visit, he would have a different woman hanging over his arm decorated with plastic smiles and small-sized clothes. Louis wasn’t so lucky with his mum either, however less frequently and every time Louis was introduced to a man that his mum had brought home he would cringe at the thought of having a second stranger parent around. However his mother had never been too serious about any particular man and he was secretly happy about it. The men she brought him always verged on two extremes, boring or obnoxious all of them fit and usually older but Louis had spotted her with younger ones too which his mum always accessorized them in secret.  

Now here he was in a roomful of snobby prats all drinking the most expensive wine that his mother saved in case of need to woo. There were six of them, only two of them female. Mum had a saying – The higher you went, the lesser the number of women you’d see. Maybe that’s why his mum was the proudest of them all and she wasn’t modest about it either. 

All of the guests either worked for his mother or were about to be working with her in the near future. It was a Friday evening and instead of watching a movie or spending time with his best friend or better yet - sharpening his skills at masturbation, he was entertaining senile men and women with his music abilities.

His mother was beaming inside. He was only fourteen and she could already picture him occupying the CEO chair. It made her swell in pride.  
Soulful melody reverberated the room filling it with an emotion in an otherwise barren room of personalities. Louis’ delicate fingers moved across the keys with finesse. Blacks and the whites pressed in brilliant harmony.

“That’s beautiful darling” Johanna commented, sliding her polished nails against the black sleek piano.

Louis was dressed in button-down white shirt and black slacks. His hair was gelled backwards and his face was set in a straight line.

“You have a talented son, Johanna”

“You must be proud” Another gruff voice added.

All seem to agree and Johanna smiled devilishly.

“This is him, your future boss” She joked, clinking her champagne glass with her other colleagues sitting at the table.

Louis walked back to his seat and tried to remain impassive and sturdy despite having six pairs of eyes on him, judging him silently.

  
Dessert was served and Louis tried to politely answer questions and nodded absent-mindlessly to chit-chatter, not quite interested in prolonging the conversation instead he was storming up ideas to use as excuses but there were none.

  
The night finally ended and Louis took his leave by executing his last best line. “This has been a wonderful evening. It has been a pleasure knowing you gentlemen and _especially_ the ladies”

The two women laughed at Louis’ audacity  while the men smirked and Louis grinned back sheepishly.

“Oh, dear lord. He’s perfect” Natasha giggled, a fifty-something woman who believed she was twenty at heart, forever. Louis knew if his dad was around, he would call her one of the lost desperate souls and laugh. 

“Charming isn’t he?” Johanna smirked.

Louis nodded courteously with everyone around the room to know that he had acknowledged their presence, making each one of them feel important. He finally glanced at his mother who nodded in approval and Louis finally, _finally_ left the dining room.

Johanna couldn’t even been happier to how Louis was growing to be. He was perfect. Louis was a natural charmer and he exuded confidence without even trying. She loved showing off her son. He was her most prized possession.

The future heir, the prince to her kingdom.

Johanna slowly sipped on the champagne feeling the lazy burn of envy rolling in waves from her work partners.

Exiting the noisy dining area, Louis fumbled with his nimble fingers, quickly unbuttoning the first three buttons while dragging his feet to his room. He walked along the lonely dimmed down corridors. It was deadly silent except for the light tapping of Louis’ loafers across the wooden floor and a grandfather clock ticking loudly. Louis ran two hands through his hair getting rid of the tight gel packed in his hair. He was starting to realize that maybe growing up wasn’t what it cracked up to be.

Louis shut the room behind and collapsed into his bed. He grabbed a pillow and pushed his face into it. These were the moments when he missed Harry.  
Harry who was always there, immediate to fulfill his needs. Harry, his Harry. His lovely, cute, curly Harry. Harry, who was the only one who felt real against the world that he was forced to live in.

Harry, who was still so innocent unaware of Louis’ lewd thoughts. Unaware of Louis' desires unkempt and hidden underneath. Louis groaned. It all had started when Harry had accidentally squirted shampoo in his eye and Louis once again, ever ready to be the hero stepped inside the shower. Louis’ heart had stopped in his tracks and an unfamiliar burn in the pits of stomach had unknowingly begun while he watched Harry naked, wet and eager for his help. It was sinister in the way the want crept inside his head. He was ashamed but he couldn’t control it if he tried. Louis even had dreams about that shower, sometimes. Everything from that moment every touch became less innocent, every stare less 'friendly' but more perverse. He wouldn’t be lying if he said he had started to notice Harry a bit more closely. That’s when his certain ‘urges’ had started.

Disgusting sinful urges.

He started to wonder what would feel if he let his hand wander over Harry’s bare skin. He watched Harry’s unusually feminine lips, how red and plump they always were. How? He He wondered. He wanted to press his finger tips along the bow of his lips, just so he could memorise its shape. Perfectly heart-shaped and so kissable. Louis would always get a little disturbed when Harry would bite his lip when he made a point of pondering. It made his stomach flutter and his loins felt gripped.

He felt perverse and frankly immoral like he was breaching an invisible breach of trust. He felt the only way to distract himself was to avoid Harry and keep distance. He knew if Harry ever discovered that Louis really wanted to touch his boy bits – he would be utterly disgusted and Louis could never bear Harry feeling that way towards him.

There was no denying that Harry had become part of his bloodstream, a chunk of his heart. He was always ever present in his head like a burning star in the sky, always constant no matter against the invisible cloak of morning light or the naked night. He could never forget the moment he’d watched the green eyes flutter open for the first time and even now after six years, he was still mesmerized by Harry’s beauty. The fondness only grew and the bond strengthened. Growing up, Louis had no doubt in his mind with whom he’ll be spending the rest of his life with but as puberty reigned it’s ugly head, Louis started to doubt whether Harry would want him physically.

It was true, Louis found both some girls and some boys attractive but Harry – with Harry he was blown. Harry was ethereal. He was all he wanted to touch, feel and kiss.

 

Louis turned to his side and picked up the phone. His fingers loomed over the numbers. He knew one quick call and Harry would come running to his room but the reason he banished Harry from his room was to avoid unnecessary contact and the consequences that rose from such ‘contact’. He felt akin to grown man ruining the innocence of a child because Harry was child-like in so many ways even though he was twelve. He was so innocent like the colour of snow, a blank canvas that could either be ruined or a masterpiece could be created and the brush dipped in paint was cruelly forced into Louis' hands. He knew there was a certain boundary that Louis was unwilling to cross but was desperately tempted to do so.

Finally after much contemplation, Louis threw precaution to the air. His need felt greater than the risks at hand. 

“Lou?” Harry asked, confused. His voice groggy. He must have been fast asleep.

“Come to my room” He ordered 

Harry was in Louis’ room in the next minute pleased only to find Louis waiting for him lifting the blanket up so Harry could crawl inside.

Harry smiled wide until he couldn’t see with his eyes anymore which were already half- shut in his sleepy state. He jumped into the bed and burrowed himself in Louis’ chest.  
Louis sighed in happiness. This was where Harry was supposed to be.

Harry wrapped his rather long limbs around Louis. “I missed you Lou”

Lou smiled and kissed Harry’s cheek, dangerously close to his lips and tightened his hold on the warm bundle of curls.

“You’re mine Hazza, don’t ever forget that” Louis whispered heatedly in Harry’s ear.

Harry nodded sleepily. “Yours, always”

He then blinked and turned to stare at the older teen.

“Is everything okay Lou?” Harry asked, pressing his finger against the tip of Louis' nose, a part of Louis that Harry adored. 

Louis dwelled in the innocence of Harry’s eyes. He felt his gut being gripped and torn at such sight. He pushed a strand of curly hair behind his ear and let his fingers trail Harry’s jaw.

“Yeah, I just missed being next to you” Louis told him honestly but he wasn’t sure if Harry had heard him or not when he felt Harry’s body become lax like cut elastic in his arms.

Louis didn’t understand and however cliché it may sound, why everything just felt right with Harry right next to him. Nothing else mattered anymore – Expectations fizzled out, his shell disappeared and his pretentious act was dropped and suddenly it was just Louis.

No more Master Louis Tomlinson, or Johanna’s son or the Louis who everyone looked up at school. Suddenly with Harry, he didn’t have to work hard, didn’t need to put a show because there were no conditions with Harry. No prerequisites that were necessary for Louis to be liked or loved. Harry just accepted him always right from the beginning and that was something Louis was not willing to lose. 

“I love you Hazza” Louis confessed softly before placing a tender kiss on Harry’s lips.

* * *

 

* * *

 

  
Zayn and Louis had lot in common namely the social filthy rich background, the same school and being the same age was an added benefit which meant they both were going through the similar changes as Louis was. It was no secret that Zayn and Louis were best of friends, they had their fights in between but in the end they always looked out for each other.

As young, healthy fourteen year old boys, they were quite curious about the intricacies of sex. Lessons on puberty didn’t exactly curb their curiosities but only fired for wanting more.

Louis could honestly say that the best discovery that he had made counting from the moment they were born up to the current fourteenth year was masturbation. It was clearly and singularly far more spectacular and powerful than learning how to stand or talking. It seemed absolutely essential and substantial for life.

Louis remembered his first orgasm, no wait, it wasn’t his first that he remembered but it was his second. It was painfully embarrassing. His first orgasm had been lost during a rather strange erotic dream that Louis had forgotten but woke up with wet white underpants not to mention sticky.

The second was during the time when Harry and Louis sharing the bed had still been a routine. He had been thirteen and a half. Louis had woken up with a hard cock obscenely tenting his pajamas with Harry right next to him. Louis turned red. He quickly untangled himself from Harry and locked himself in the bathroom. Zayn’s descriptive stories about his numerous tales of masturbation finally paid off. He had been thrusting his cock in his hands but he couldn’t reach the climax partly due to the weirdness he felt. He remembered trying to imagine anything that was sexy – naked woman, naked men, trying  for anything that worked for his desperate dick and then he heard Harry outside. 

“Lou? Lou are you okay? Are you sick?” Harry's voice echoed into the bathroom, his sweet voice full of worry and concern. 

And then Louis blushed when he remembered how he had been coming, ribbons of sticky cum coating his fingers and thin t-shirt. Louis felt sick afterwards when he realised what triggered his orgasm but at that point of time he needed to get himself over that metaphorical cliff and images of Harry suddenly became a necessity.

  
Louis wanked at least twice a day, once when he woke up and once before he’d fall asleep. It was glorious and his most favourite part of the day. He had learnt the wonders of using Vaseline which soon was replaced with much slippery lube that he would secretly ordered online (although he was sure that Walter knew). Louis felt every contained emotion that he’d repress during the day would be spontaneously freed through his magical wank.

The first few times were intense where Louis would lock himself in the bathroom and furiously wank his cock, beating it to an almost pulp trying to chase his climax. Louis was starting to get used the unruly interruptions of a surprise erection and how to suppress it. He had been practicing since six months after all. It was new, fun and exciting. He however had to yet conquer his embarrassment over looking at himself completely in the mirror and stare at his entire naked body that was changing right before his eyes.

Sometime afternoon, after school, Louis and Zayn lounged around Zayn's bedroom. Louis played with the football tossing it up and down, smacking on gum while Zayn was rummaged through his backpack muttering and groaning.  

Zayn had finally caught hold of a set of pornographic movies. It was difficult to watch it online on his computer due to all the parental blocks that his mother so carefully barricaded. Something about wanting to keep Zayn’s innocence for as long as she could possibly try, well obviously she didn’t know what a horny bastard Zayn really was, who was wanking up to four times a day.

“I can’t believe we’re really doing this” Louis said, wiping his palms against his pants. They were seconds away from knowing what sex really looked like in motion. Jesus, this was big.

  
They were both sitting in Zayn’s room, rubbing their hands nervously. Discovering and watching pornography was both exciting and also made them anxious. They looked at magazines and dirty comics but watching a proper movie with proper porn stars was thrilling.

“Wait till we tell those losers” Zayn replied while he plugged in the pen drive in its slot and clicked open the contents.

The movie was titled ‘Jada Fire is a squirtwoman’.

“Squirtwoman? What does that even _mean_?” Zayn wondered out loud.

Louis shrugged, knowing nil about the female anatomy except that they had a hole for a penis and they bled each month for some reason. 

The movie was about a big-breasted woman who battled with fires at day and became squirtwoman by night. And she squirted all right, squirted all over men’s faces who ate her out, their faces wet with her slick.

Louis and Zayn’s eyes were fixed to the screen – her moans during throes of pleasure ringing loud in their ears. Their curiosities soon filling up with slight disgust and...the beginnings of arousal. It was the moment when the grand secret of the adult life was being blatantly exposed. There was something about how the man penetrated and pushed his cock or something about how desperate she was for the cock begun to stimulate something in their lust-ladled heads. Their desires, urges of something more were beginning to become defined.

Louis swallowed hard as his eyes seemed to skit from the curvy, big-chested woman to the bulging muscles of the man’s ass who was thrusting quite ungraciously into her, groaning and grunting loudly.

“Holy shit” Louis muttered under his breath, eyes widening comically when the man flipped her over and was now sodomizing her relentlessly. Fucking her ass while she cried for wanting it harder and deeper. 

Louis noticed the curve of the rock hard cock standing up proudly rather than the luscious curve of the woman’s hips. He noticed the sexy ‘V’ of the man instead of the shaven glistening vulva slick with need. Louis arousal spiked at the sight of the muscular man grabbing on to her hair and using her, fucking her as he wished, using her while Jade took it moaning and squirting.

“She’s really hot” Zayn whispered as the scene switched to the woman now sucking two cocks at the same times, semen spreading all over mouth and face and yet she tried to get both of them in her mouth, somehow. 

What they hadn’t expected was the voice of Zayn’s mother echoing up to their room, becoming louder.

“Zayn, sweetheart – I got in early so I cooked your favourite pastry”

Zayn panicked, knocking books in the way and hitting his elbow against his desk. In his state of panic Zayn minimized the screen instead of closing it and that was the exact second that Mrs. Malik opened the door.

  
Trisha stood at the entrance of the door with a tray of food and drinks.

“Pretty good ba-“ She stopped midway when she heard moans erupting from the screen.

“Jesus – oh god” She exclaimed, squeezing her eyes shut. 

Louis stood awkwardly beside Zayn, blushing and eyes fixated on the plush carpet. “It was a pop-up mum!” Zayn cried with a hard-on in his pants. 

* * *

 

 The next day they told the other boys about their discovery into the porn world forgetting conveniently on how shamelessly they got caught by Zayn’s mother and how he was now grounded for two weeks. However Zayn’s father turned a blind-eye towards the entire ordeal. This pleased the other boys to no end and the pair quickly earned following points from their fellow peers.

As the school year progressed and was nearing its end, students had started to take up certain stereotypes. Louis owning almost three-fourth of his private high school swiftly brought him popularity without doing much work. Talking back in class and getting into detention started to become a habit for Zayn while Louis wasn’t always the righteous or the eager cookie in class, he worked hard for his grades because Louis knew there was one word that his mum despised and did not absolutely tolerate was – Mediocrity. Johanna was a woman of discipline even with questionable morals and she wanted her son to follow through the exact same path.

Zayn couldn’t care less about school itself and for that Johanna wasn’t entirely fond of Zayn nor was she very accepting of his parents who seemed too wishy-washy for her taste, laidback and the classic words – _idiotic and undeserving_ , she would call them and their success. Despite the major difference in their attitude towards school, their friendship remained concrete because Louis would forever be his partner in crime in the dirtiest of pranks or when Zayn needed someone to try out of his new array of alcohol, Louis never thought twice. Louis however tried to downplay his activities. He wasn’t particularly fond of confrontations with his mother.  

At home Louis remained aloof with Harry never allowing himself to be too close to Harry or spend too much time with him that may expose his inner intentions. Louis hated when he’d watch Harry’s frown form when he’d decline to watch a movie or shake his head when Harry would ask if he wanted to sleep with him. Zayn on the other hand would taunt girls at school that Louis already had someone and he wasn’t available which only elicited disappointed sighs from them.

It was true Louis wasn’t the kind to run from a dare or get frightened easily. He was confident, nearly bordering on over-confident and he grew up to believe that he was more important than the rest of the population in general and the fact that his classmates and even the teachers around treated him in such a fragile way that only firmed his beliefs. No one wanted to piss off Louis Tomlinson. However no one knew or could possibly even dream that Louis was in fact scared of rejection from a no last name, penniless curly boy tucked away in his home. The fear in Louis grew stronger while his feelings for Harry became darker and dirtier. 

Louis had always been Harry’s hero and now he was beginning to wonder if he would soon become the villain.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for such a late update!!


	6. The Adolescence Part 2

_**PART 2** _

**_ A YEAR LATER   _ **

_Louis: 15 and 8 months, 2 days old_

_Harry: 13 and 6 months, 2 days old_

 

It was just one of lazy evenings, that needed a stiff drink and a friend to end it.  Getting sloshed was Zayn’s favourite activity of the week and of course the perfect time to do it was when his parents were away for date night. 

Television was on and the volume was set to low. Neither of them were paying attention to the dancing bodies on screen.

“You up for a smoke?” Zayn asked, picking up a cigarette from its case.

Louis shook his head, munching on a packet of chips. “Reminds me too much of mum. Major turn off”

Zayn laughed roughly as he tried to light it using his dad’s lighter.  

“Don’t you want to at least try it, see how it’s like?” Zayn asked, transfixed on the glowing end of the cigarette. The stench of nicotine quickly permeating the surroundings.

“No mate. That shits addictive; you heard it in health class” Louis reasoned with a ‘tut’ ‘tut’ face. 

“Fuck that” Zayn quipped as he dragged the smoke into his lungs and immediately spluttered, coughing.

Louis laughed scrunching the empty packet of chips. “Idiot”

Zayn continued to take two, three drags and let his muscles lax. Zayn slacked back on the couch and kicked his legs on to the coffee table.

Louis tried switching channels trying not to make his next question less of a big deal than it was.

“You uh...you ever got curious? You know about boys?” Louis asked casually although inside he was biting his tongue and if he could, clog his pores to stop from sweating.

As months progressed from Zayn and Louis’ first discovery into the porn world, Louis had explored a vast number of video clips ranging all kinds of sex. His wanking sessions undoubtedly used porn. His selection of porn transitioned from heterosexual to homosexual in a few clicks. Even though Louis wouldn’t admit that he might in fact be gay out aloud and probably wouldn’t in the near future, he wasn’t ashamed behind closed doors with his dick in his hand while he browsed his little library of homosexual intercourse.

In the beginning Louis didn’t have much preference to any specific kind of sex. He enjoyed most of them soft to hard and everything in between but he soon started to realize that his dick reacted quite aggressively and he climaxed harder when the sex on screen was rougher, harder sometimes bordering on violent. Louis guiltily enjoyed number of videos attained to twinks getting fucked with dubious consent, blackmailed sex some even dangerously categorized close to rape. He especially loved the innocence faux act and the hard fucking involved after. The biting, bruises and the pain...Christ all turned out to be incredibly arousing. Louis’ fantasies took wings and they grew like devil’s horns blurring the lines between imagining porn stars and the sudden emergence of Harry in them. Louis hated how turned on he’d become but it was seemed that it was deeply seeped in his blood. All this Louis kept hidden from the rest of the world, even from Zayn.

Zayn stabbed the half-used cigarette and began shifting himself for the next part of their hangout – ransacking his father’s liquor cabinet.

“Never, and never will I ever be curious for dick” He concluded, pouring amber liquid into two glasses set on the coffee table.

“You gay Tommo? Always suspected you’d be gay”  He ended with a chuckle.

“Shut the fuck up” Louis immediately revoked.

“S’nothing wrong with it and why the fuck are you so defensive? It just makes it more obvious”

Louis had to admit Zayn had a point.

“There’s nothing on the bloody television.” Louis snapped, almost angry enough to chuck the remote at the television.

“Don’t blame the fucking telly” Zayn remarked, raking through his black hair and shutting his eyes.

A minute of silence passed between them before Zayn started to speak “Its okay Louis. I won’t rant it to the world. Your secret’s safe with me”

Louis sighed. “God, why do I have to be gay of all things?” He muttered pushing his face in his hands.

“Could be worse mate” Zayn reasoned, slapping his hand over Louis’ bent back.

“Can you imagine my mum’s reaction when she realises her only son likes dick?” Louis asked.

“Well that’ll be the first thing you both have in common” Zayn replied laughing, the alcohol finally starting to hit his head.

“Fuck you. I don’t think your mum would fancy pulling out a red carpet if she knew you were gay”

Zayn shrugged. “At least there wouldn’t be any mind games. She’d be up to the point and she’s not a stone, my mum, she’ll understand sooner or later”

Louis couldn’t argue with that. Zayn’s mother was an absolute sweetheart. She was an open book unlike his mother whose head was an intricate mess, calculative and manipulative.

Zayn increased the volume on his television. “Hm, I like this song”

Both of them listened to the song quietly with Zayn humming to the music.

“Kendrick said he’d be able to get some good quality pot this weekend. Want to try it out this Sunday?”

Louis shrugged. “Sure”

Silence ensued between them for some time, both of them contemplating – Louis about his gay tendencies and Zayn about working up an excuse to get money for marijuana. 

“Why did you think I was gay anyway?” Louis finally asked. He wasn’t like those overly feminine gays he’d seen on porno, right? He was manly. He played football. He wasn’t too clean and he would be growing a beard soon and he sure as fuck didn’t like musical theatres. Maybe his postures...

“Harry”

“Harry?” Louis asked, internally panicking. Was he that damn obvious?

“Don’t give me that look Lou, I’d seen you look at him sometimes and it’s creepy as fuck”

“I love him like my brother. S’nothing wrong with it” Louis lied through his teeth the alcohol burning his tongue in return like punishment.

“Except if you want to fuck your brother,”

Louis choked and spluttered alcohol.

Zayn suddenly sat up, eyes gleaming. “You know what? Maybe you could make him your little slave, make him suck your cock whenever you wanted. You can just get him under the table and get him to suck you off while you write up your essay about the Renaissance”

“Zayn...” Louis warned.

Zayn continued however, oblivious to Louis’ flushed cheeks and knuckles turning pale white.

“Or better make him suck your dick while you play on that piano of yours when you impress your mother’s greedy bitches. I bet he’d love that. He’d do anything for you. He’d even jump off the building, if you told him to. He’s pretty pathetic for my taste but his lips...his lips are for sucking cock, you did notice that didn’t you?”

“For someone who’s fucking straight, you’d given this a lot of thought haven’t you?” Louis scowled. The thought of Zayn thinking about Harry in such detailed sexual manner made him want to punch the living daylights out of Zayn. Puncture his obnoxious tongue.  

“Don’t tell me you haven’t at least thought about it. A nice little pliant boy to fuck with. I would’ve fucked him already if I had my own little toy to play with”

Louis couldn’t swallow the next gulp of alcohol.

 

* * *

 

 

Harry had never really paid attention to kissing. He didn’t see anything fascinating about it. What was really the big deal about swapping spit? Louis had given him plenty of kisses on his cheek when they were kids and they were quite harmless. However he did notice how Louis had stopped giving him any sort of physical affection recently, even a hug became rarity which once was something they gave each other quite frequently.

Harry was unaware of hormones and puberty as a whole due to his lack of standardized education but he was starting to observe certain changes in his attitude. Late, late at night, Harry would pause and rewind certain moments of reel when the main characters revealed their undying, true everlasting love which ultimately would end with a brutally passionate kiss.

Harry adored such moments. He would sigh blissfully and let his head dream.

_Love_

Harry would wonder while he’d do the dishes or dry the laundry out in the backyard. He would slip into a state of daydream while doing the most mundane of tasks. In the books, falling in love was written as something so breathtakingly passionate; a primal obsession that wore down the hardest of hearts which eventually changed their lives for the better.  Love was beautiful. Love was magic. Love was infinite.

Harry never had proper education. Louis had taught him how to read earlier in the days when they still had found crayons to be an important possession.  He had already memorized four cook books, five on gardening and he had a basic understanding about the universe but what Harry really loved was becoming comfortable in front of the heater wearing Louis’ recently worn scarf and reading poetry about love.

Harry loved especially the extra cheesy ones like ‘If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever’ or sometimes a little exaggerated ones like ‘We loved with a love that was more than love’ 

Louis was a poem in a way. Beautiful at first glance, puzzled with the first read but the further you read between the lines, the more enchanted you were with every word, with every pause. For Harry, Louis was every breath Harry let out from his lungs, and every drop of blood that flowed through his body. If he could, Harry would worship the very ground Louis would walk on and collect every lovely eyelash that withered away with the wind.

Harry wanted love. To simply put, Harry wanted this strange, soul-wrenching love with Louis.

He’d sometimes dream and sometimes during the most random part of the day, a flash of Louis proclaiming his love to Harry would suddenly appear in his head making him burn hot sauce or drop china on to the floor.

At night in the confines of his own bedroom. He’d imagine how it’d feel to have Louis’ lips over his own. The next day however, he would feel guilty when he’d watch Louis perched at his desk, serious with his pen and paper. 

There was something always so beautiful about Louis. Everything from the way he’d walk or the way he’d gesture with his hands. Oh, especially the way his hair sticks out after he’d rake through it when he was deep in thought or just plain frustrated. Or the various frowns he’d elicit when he disapproved each one with their own comical variety. He would be reminded of the sun in Louis’ presence, bright, happy and essential to life. Harry knew there was always something magical about Louis’ smile. It made his heart constrict and suddenly he’d feel pleasant all over.

Harry grew incredibly content whenever he’d get the chance to sit next to him during watching a movie or play FIFA. Harry always found himself leaning towards Louis, attracted towards the warmth that only Louis seemed to emanate. Goosebumps prickled his skin and his heart rate would pick up on its own. Twenty minutes sitting next to him made Harry feel exhausted.

Harry kneeled down to prune his roses, smelling the flowery scent and the fresh aroma of wet soil that warmed his senses. One day, Harry deemed. One day he’d present one of his roses to Louis on his knees and declare his love with a poem. Harry smiled at that thought, wondering if he’d ever have the courage to do such thing. 

* * *

 

FIVE DAYS LATER – MORNING

Louis sat at the breakfast bar eating boring bland cereal. Louis picked at the pieces of banana and scowled. His mum was eating along with him, clad in her expensive pencil black skirt and white blouse and perfect hair.

The ping of a message notification disturbed their silence and her mother looked bored back at her phone, ripping her eyes away from the stocks market column in the newspaper.

Louis watched her expression from surprise and then to that of a pleased, grinning smile.

“Louis, darling. Graham just sent your report. I’m very pleased” She smiled.

Louis nodded trying to look stoic, pretending like this was the usual. Inside however he swelled with pride at his mom’s praise.

Her mum cleared her throat, gently placed her spoon against her bowl with a gentle click.  

“Louis. I’d like you to attend few extra classes on the basic understanding about commerce and the likes of business. What do you say darling?”

Louis blinked up at her. School break was just around the corner and Louis wanted nothing but to cuddle up near the heater and maybe, hopefully have Harry in the same picture.

“I need a break, mum” Louis deadpanned.

His mum ignored his comment and continued blindly. 

“I want you to spend time at _our_ office during your break- what do they say? Yes, like a part-time job. I’ll pay you of course. And I definitely don’t want you to sit there clueless and lost when we’re dealing with business related terms and matters of the stock market.”

Louis inwardly sighed, making random patterns in his bowl of cereal. A job? Louis wanted to groan out loud. 

“I need you to stay focused Louis. You’re soon to be sixteen. It’s important to be goal-driven at an age like this.” She stressed. 

Louis looked at her, closely. Her frustration, furrowed eye brows and her red lips matching her anger. He even observed how taut her skin was, not a single wrinkle in her face or a strand of hair misplaced. It was unsettling. Unhuman-like.  

His mother continued “Imagine – Louis Tomlinson; youngest and the most powerful CEO in all of England, your name written in every magazine.” Johanna reveled in her unfulfilled dreams. A drop of spit landed near Louis’ hand.

Louis’ spoon slipped hanging from his gaping mouth and made a tremendous splash in the milk below. That was a pretty grand expectation from his mother. In three years’ time, he’d be sitting in meetings?  Louis wasn’t too excited about that prospect. He frowned. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be part of this business. He didn’t want to trade places with his mom, let alone sit next to her. Suddenly Louis felt he was looking down a black hole, just waiting to swallow him up whole.  

“Louis, look at me”

Somehow his mom had guessed his internal monologue like clockwork. It was eerie. 

“There are two kinds of people- People who dream to live and others who live so that the rest have something to dream about. We Louis, belong to the second kind.”

Louis quietly wondered from whom his mother nicked that quote from. His mother was clever but not creative.

“It’s a battle field out there. Amidst blood-thirsty, greedy men who will do _anything_ for power, for money. No one to trust. Can you imagine a woman in this field? I have to work twice harder than the average testosterone filled bas- ...man just to make my point across.”

Johanna sighed and rubbed her forehead. She looked genuinely stressed.

Louis wasn’t sure how to express his sadness, didn’t know what to say to make it better. He knew she hated to be pitied upon. It was almost like her veil had been torn open, however briefly it might’ve been. His respect for his mother only grew ten-fold.  

“Do you think it’s wrong of me to dream that my son would take control of this empire? Dream that one day he’d take the lead?”

Louis resigned internally.  This was one heavy, hefty breakfast, he felt so full with guilt. “I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking in hindsight”

“I’ll go to those classes” He concluded, pushing his massacred bowl of cereal away from his body. It now looked like coloured milk with bits of brown floating. It looked putrid.

Johanna hummed in response, finally pleased.

“I don’t mean to force you sweetheart, you know that. I just want the best for you, always”

Louis nodded. “I know mum”

Johanna sipped the last bit of her coffee gone cold.

“Do you know how proud of I am of you? So proud Louis” Johanna told him sincerely, placing her hand on Louis’ clenched fist.  

The corner of Louis’ lips twitched. His chest melting into a pile of goo. Nearly sixteen years old and his mother’s praise still made him feel like a five year old again earning a gold star for the first time.

It was just then at that moment, an unfortunate moment that Harry had tumbled into the breakfast room.

At that point Louis’ ‘feel good’ buzz vanished in an instant. He was suddenly reminded he liked sucking cock _...._ preferably Harry’s. He was sure this little fact was not part of his mum’s grand scheme for him.  

His eyes widened at the sight of Louis and his mother. Harry always, _always_ tried to avoid Louis’ mother but somehow it was one of those very rare mornings where he’d fall prey to her eyes.

 “Uhh...Good morning Ms. Tomlinson, Good morning Master Louis”

Suddenly the environment changed from amicable reunion to tense once more. Yes, definitely the worst breakfast Louis ever had.

Louis nodded mutely. Harry had clearly just woken up with unkempt hair and ruffled clothes. Louis secretively gave him one more glance, for longer this time.

“Harry, would you get me some milk?” Louis asked, holding up his empty glass.

“Uh, sure” Harry replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

Harry nearly tripped while walking into the kitchen and he came back with the jug of milk encased in his arms.

Louis held up his empty glass peeking up to look at Harry who was just biting the tiniest part of his lower lip in his mouth. Pinkish-red lips again...Louis wondered again how Harry’s lips were always such a pretty colour. Louis had to physically restrain his hand to stop it from pulling that one extra curly strand. Maybe there was that third kind of people, the kind who spent their lives just doting on Harry. Yeah, Louis would belong to that.

Harry flustered under Louis’ gaze. The blue orbs burning a hole in his skull. He hated how much power Louis had over him. It was ridiculous.

“Oh Harry!” Louis exclaimed when the milk spilled all over the floor from being overflown.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry Louis” Harry panicked.

Johanna watched silently like a hawk, clasping her fingers.

Harry hurried back into the kitchen to get a rag when he heard voices from the adjacent room.

 “I sometimes forget this exists” Johanna stated blandly laced with disgust.  

Louis’s body stilled at once. A sudden gust of irritation passed through him, his grip tightening around his glass.

“You’re what soon to be sixteen now? Isn’t time to get rid of your toys?”

“He’s not a toy” Louis let out through clenched teeth. Anger rushed and his mind was getting cloudy too soon, too quick.

“Then what is he Louis? Please do enlighten me. Because from what I remember, his only purpose was to provide a playmate for you when you were a kid. He seems to clearly outgrown the purpose.”  

Louis’ tongue felt knotted and fear tingling in his intestines and gripping at his throat. His mom wouldn’t get rid of Harry, would she? No, Harry must stay. He must...

“Christina needs help mum. She isn’t what she used to be and Harry’s going to become an excellent chef”

Johanna remained silent but nodded slowly albeit didn’t miss the relief flood in Louis’ eyes.

Harry quietly entered the room and began cleaning up the mess. “S-Sorry Louis”

“That’s okay Hazza” He smiled softly.

Harry’s heart ached at how soft and tender his name rolled of Louis’ lips.

Jay watched the interaction between them. She definitely didn’t miss the adoring eyes projecting from Harry. It made her sick.  She hoped her suspicions wouldn’t become true. She hoped there wouldn’t be a time where she’d regret making a decision of bringing Harry in because if that time ever comes, Harry would find himself in a very grave situation.

* * *

 

 

The night was cliché. Stormy, thunderous violently so and amidst the disastrous weather were two boys watching a horror flick. The two boys huddled together on the toasty red couch in a mini-theatre located in the basement complete with speakers and sound-proofed.  

Louis initially had no intentions to watch the movie with Harry but Zayn had dropped out for a date he needed to attend to and Louis, well he didn’t want to watch it alone and so he asked the curly lad who was reluctant at first but agreed the minute later. 

Harry was glued to Louis’ side and his nails made crescent shaped pits in Louis’ skin, pretty sure one of them was bleeding. Louis kept popping popcorn in his mouth, sort of a mental routine to keep him sane that this in fact wasn’t real and was made up by people.

Blood spattered over the screen and Harry threw a leg over Louis’, winding around him like a baby python holding onto its prey. Louis dropped his hand from the popcorn bucket and wound his hand around Harry’s broad shoulder to comfort him. 

When Louis felt something moist stain his bare shoulder, Louis pulled him closer and peppered tiny kisses on Harry’s head. He was becoming less aware of the heads rolling on the screen and increasingly aware of the warm body in his arms.

Outside was havoc and despite being in a sound-proof room he could hear the vague pattering of rain outside. Minutes later, a thunder roared in the distance and the television switched off, along with every light in the house. A black out.

Harry started hyperventilating and Louis gathered up the younger boy in his arms, Harry pushing his face into Louis’ chest.

“Hazza, it’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ve got you” Louis spoke calmly although his heart was dancing at a pretty fast rate. It was pitch black and it took a while for their eyes to adjust so that at least the borders of objects around them begun to became visible.

Harry burrowed himself further into Louis’ body, his mouth now at the level of Louis’ neck.  “Okay Lou, don’t let me go, please”

“Never Harry, but we need to get upstairs” Louis replied but not making an effort to stand up. Louis entwined one of his hand with Harry’s sweating ones. It was getting increasingly hot and stuffy in the room. 

Harry was shivering ever so lightly. Louis let his free hand comb through Harry’s messy curls and kissed him lightly on his forehead for reassurance. Harry leaned further into him and looked up into the blue eyes that still looked enchanting in the dark. 

"Can-Can we stay here for a little while?” Harry asked, clinging onto Louis’ flimsy white t-shirt with his free hand. Warm flicks of want was bleeding into Harry’s stomach. 

Their faces were only inches apart and almost Harry's entire body was on top of Louis'. 

"'Kay" Louis replied breathlessly. He felt dizzy, lightheaded with lust seeping into every vein in his body drugging him. 

Harry felt so overwhelmed. He couldn't identify what he needed but he needed something. He gently let his chubby cheek slide against Louis', slowly and painfully.  

The small growing pit of fire in Louis’ stomach was becoming larger and hotter by the second. Louis’ rate of breathing picked up and a sudden sort of urge seized and wrecked Louis’ body. He turned gently and let his lips land on Harry’s milky cheek, tentative and slower this time and then another one, then one more and then two more and then it was three until Louis’ lips were getting closer to his Harry’s mouth which was now slightly open. Harry accepted each one of them graciously, closing his eyes and savouring every little kiss that rained on his face. The kisses were starting to lose their innocence when Louis’ lips moved south on the expanse of Harry’s neck. Harry for the first time let out a ‘mmm...’ – a moan tore from deep within Harry’s throat and he immediately blushed. 

Louis flicked his tongue, a small kitten lick against Harry’s throbbing pulse.  His hands rubbed along Harry’s sides, with his shirt rolling up and then back down with Louis’ hands.

“Lou...” Harry rasped, feeling wetness on his neck and his skin burning where Louis’ hands have been. Harry didn’t know what exactly was happening but he knew that he wanted moremoremoremore.

Louis moved up until their faces were towards each. Louis never wanted something so bad in his life before. He had to have Harry. Needed to have Harry. All those months of suppressing his desires were bursting now. Louis felt out of control. He rubbed his button-nose against Harry’s, both of them smiling at the contact.

The lights all of a sudden flickered back on and the door to the mini theatre opened with Walter apologizing and shouting that this wouldn’t happen again. Louis' grimaced. The sudden rush of frenzy need simmered down, but only slightly. 

Harry and Louis didn’t budge. They were hypnotized, their bodies thrumming with a need they couldn’t label.

 “Lou, can I- can I sleep with you?” Harry asked timidly, whispering quietly against Louis’ lips.

Louis’ heart picked up pace and a million scenarios ran through his head. Each one of them involving getting Harry out of his clothes, none of them ending well.

“Um, y-yeah” He replied shyly. 

“Thank you Lou” Harry sighed and surprising Louis and himself in the process – Harry pressed his lips, hard against Louis’ that made Louis' heart skip a beat. 

Louis’ body vibrated with pleasure and he felt combustible. He was burning with heat now and deep part of him was terrified to what this night might lead to because he already had such strong images in his head.

Harry misread Louis’ pause and furrowed brows with disappointment and he shrunk back in fear “Sorry Lou”

Louis quickly shook his head and pulled him up. “Let’s go to sleep”

They somehow managed to walk back to Louis’ bedroom, hand in hand, bodies touching each other. They looked drunk.

The real problem started when they reached Louis’ bedroom and Harry immediately snuggled with Louis but their usual embrace no longer felt innocent. It felt hot, laced heavily with the promise that something else was yet to happen.

Louis clenched his fist in an attempt to not slide his fingers inside Harry’s shirt to feel his soft little body. His arousal levels were peaking haphazardly, his cock already half-hard. Louis felt on the brink of becoming insane from trying to hold back. He tried to stop his mind from conjuring up images of him sucking Harry’s cock or Harry’s innocent ones touching his hard cock, sliding up and down. 

Stop...stop...stop..

Harry made everything worse. His breathing was starting to come out uneven, breathless like he’d run a marathon. Louis could even feel the rapid beating of his heart, it was ridiculous how fast it was pumping when they both were doing nothing but sleeping next to each other.

“Haz, are you okay?”

“Yeah” Harry murmured rubbing his cheek all over Louis’ sternum.

"Can-Can you do that again?" Harry asked shyly, blushing hard. He wanted Louis to touch him like before but he wasn't sure what to ask for. 

Louis swallowed hard. And in that second, Louis had sudden strong desire to push Harry down and make his suck his cock till daylight. 

"Sleep Harry, it's already late" Louis chastised, his voice rough. 

How lame. Being responsible felt counterproductive. Harry huffed in response but didn't argue. 

Louis' cock twitched with every movement Harry made – rubbing, turning and pressing against him. Fuck, fuck Louis could feel Harry’s dick coming alive and it made him sweat.  

“Harry, keep still” Louis scowled trying to make distance between them but Harry was persistent and he stuck to Louis like glue.

“No” He replied, half-asleep. 

Harry rubbed his soft cheek against the crook of Louis’ neck, stroking and absorbing the warmth from Louis. Harry’s hands clutched onto the back of Louis’, two knuckles pinching the fabric using that as leverage to rub against Louis’ warm lithe body.

“Harry” Louis warned but it ended up sounding like a breathy moan.

Louis’ heart picked up, the rate of his breathing increasing. The room felt hot, stuffy and Louis kicked off the blankets to ease the heat rolling of from both their bodies. Using both his hands, Louis unclenched Harry’s two strong fists and created space between them. It was difficult since Harry was extremely unwilling to move even an inch. Louis then quickly placed two fluffy large pillows between them to which he quickly wrapped himself around.

Louis raked through his hair which was now hot and wet that it made spikes in the air. Louis’s chest clenched and he suddenly felt disgusted with himself. Harry had come to him for reassurance and Louis had changed that into lustful rub and got severely aroused. 

Louis tried to sleep but it was hard with Harry right next to him and it was harder to stop lewd thoughts entering into his mind. Thoughts about touching, feeling...kissing, Louis swallowed hard and...sucking.  An hour later Louis fell into a fitful sleep tossing and turning around through the night. It was torture.

* * *

 

Harry woke up again in the middle of the night, no slow blinking or stretching but eyes snapped open and he panicked when he couldn’t find Louis but then realised that Louis was on the other side of this white mountain of pillows. Harry was confused to how the pillows got in between in the first place. He burrowed himself into the pillows and once again pushed his face into Louis’ chest, encasing his long arms around Louis’ thighs. Harry sighed happily.

Harry almost purred from the heat and Louis’ soft skin. Being around Louis made him feel such strange feelings, it made him want to touch Louis always, be close to him. He felt his abdomen clench deliciously as Louis’ stirred from his sleep and let his hands roam over Harry's body unconsciously over and over again that made Harry want to push closer into Louis. He wanted to be as close as possible. Nothing felt close enough. 

“Hazza” Louis murmured in his dream-state like head.

Louis’ shirt had ridden up, exposing his golden expanse of skin and his pants hanging loose over his waist. Harry let his hands wander over Louis’ skin, mesmerized how Louis’ skin rippled with every touch he made. He let his fingers slide over Louis’ cute navel, even dipping into it slightly and Louis almost convulsed in his sleep in response. Harry was about to skim his fingers against the tent made in Louis’ pants. 

“Harry” Louis whispered suddenly awake and aware of his erection. Harry scooted closer, his face serious. Harry watched Louis’ elegant eyelashes flutter in confusion against his cheeks.

"You don't listen do you?" He asked serious and slightly pissed off. 

"You don't fucking listen..." He repeated ominously. 

Before Harry could utter a single word, Louis was flipping him onto his back, Harry landing with a soft thud and then...Louis pressed his lips harshly against Harry's. Gentleness disappearing replaced with desperate soul-consuming want. 

Louis wasn't completely clueless at kissing. He had never been in a relationship but there had been a few who were willing to practice with him minus the ball and the chain. 

A moan ripped from Harry's throat and his hands instantly found themselves in Louis' hair. He gripped them tight as Louis kissed filthily. Filthy...that was the first word that came to Harry's mind. 

Louis felt his cock harden and the tent formed in his pants was starting to form a wet patch. 

"You drive me so crazy with those lips, fuck" Louis murmured against Harry's lips. "Don't stop Lou" Harry replied panting which made Louis growl in response and nip his plump lip. Harry loved how Louis kissed him. 

Harry clutched onto Louis’ hand and slid it down against his clothed pulsing hard cock. “Lou, do you feel it?”

“Shh, Harry relax. This is normal, every boy goes through this okay” Louis explained.

“It always happens when you’re around” Harry confessed, trying to wound himself tighter around Louis.

Lou felt his heart stop momentarily. “Yeah?”

Harry nodded sticking his bottom lip out. 

Harry’s cock was rock hard and it was driving a little mad and then his prayers were answered when Louis slotted his thigh between Harry’s legs. He moaned against Louis’ lips in agreement and all of a sudden Harry’s pink tongue scraped wetly against Louis’. Tongue against tongue; What a strange feeling...Harry almost wanted to laugh. 

Louis let his tongue thrust into the pliant soft mouth. God, he loved how Harry let him do anything.  Harry could taste the popcorn that Louis had eaten earlier.

Harry puffed out small amounts of breath everytime he thrust into Louis’ muscular leg. It felt so, so, so good. He didn’t know erections could make him feel this good. He clutched onto Louis for leverage to thrust faster. Harry wasn’t sure what he was aiming for but he only that he had to do it harder, quicker, faster to achieve something. God, he needed something but he wasn’t sure what.

Louis broke their kiss and he swallowed hard, feeling Harry’s hard, dripping erection against his thigh made Louis’ head spin and everything seemed hazy.

Louis moved in a way that now his own erection was pressed against Harry’s and both of them groaned at the same time. So much pleasure...so much. 

“Ah, ah. ah fuck” Louis panted, thrusting against Harry while he kissed his neck. 

 Harry pushed harder, gripping onto Louis' tshirt. 

“Lou-Lou please” Harry begged. He wanted so much more.

 Harry was almost in tears. He was so close to it. So close to something...

“Lou” Harry’s voice was strained.

Louis finally slipped his hand inside Harry’s boxers and for the first time felt another erection in his life. Louis couldn’t breathe. He was touching a cock, a hard, dripping cock. Harry’s hard, dripping cock. It felt surreal. Louis tried to breathe and slowly fisted around Harry’s cock and began sliding it up and down. Louis’s heart was pumping and his felt his abdomen clench and unclench with punches of arousal.

“Feel good?”

“Feels so god Lou” Harry arched sliding his cock into Louis’ hand. 

Louis let Harry fuck his hand while he pushed Harry’s shirt up to his neck exposing his chest and abdomen to Louis’ devouring eyes. He scraped his nails against Harry’ sensitive nipples.

Louis wasn’t completely sure to what he was doing. He was inexperienced clear as day and so he let his hands do whatever he felt was right or what he wanted to feel. Louis let go of Harry’s cock which elicited a whine from Harry while he let his hands run over Harry’s pale stomach, his right hand wet from wanking Harry's cock left a trail of Harry’s precum on his body. Louis was in awe as he watched Harry’s muscles clench and shrivel to his touch. Harry was incredibly sensitive and fanning his hand across his lower abdomen just above his patch of curly pubic hair made Harry convulse and pant. His dick lying against his stomach.

Louis couldn’t help it and he snaked his fingers through the tangled pubic hair and gripped them hard.

“Lou!” Harry shrieked, pain spiking across his spine and his spine arching. 

Louis wandered back to reality at Harry’s cry and he immediately apologized “Sorry” Louis panted, his lips set in grim line when he realised how Harry’s cry only increased his arousal. 

Harry’s chest was heaving. He looked debauched and completely exposed and presented to Louis as an absolute toy for Louis to do anything he pleased, to touch any part of his body and Louis was in love with that.

Louis rolled Harry’s nipple between his thumbs and without warning Louis pinched hard making Harry cry out. _Yes, Yes_ Louis moaned to himself and he muffled Harry’s cry with his mouth, biting his lip in the process. Louis felt bliss. He felt like soaring. 

“Wanted to do that for so long” Louis mumbled against the puffy lips. Harry only blinked lazily, licking his lower lip. "Again?" Harry whispered, so quietly that Louis might've missed it. 

Louis moaned and kissed Harry's lower lip before nipping it three times. Soft, plush, swollen red lips. Louis loved Harry's lips. 

“Lou” Harry whined, arching his hips to get some friction, any friction hoping that Louis hadn’t forgotten about his erection.

Louis pulled down his own boxers finally and let himself grind down the length of Harry’s cock. Two bare hard cocks rubbing against each other. It made them both pant and moan. Harry wanted to claw the blanket underneath when Louis’ dick prodded his balls.

Louis grinded harder while he started to suck the soft creamy skin between the crook of his neck. He then licked a long stripe using his tongue right from Harry’s sternum till his quivering navel. Harry tasted deliciously sweet, his own sugar-coated cupcake.  He wanted to lick Harry’s entire body inch by inch. He felt like a mad-man. 

Louis wrapped his hand over Harry’s cock and squeezed. Without warning Harry soon let out with blood hurdling cry spilling come all over his chest and some on Louis’ face.

Harry couldn’t believe what he felt. Was it possible to feel this good? This was incredible. Harry was however losing his thoughts fast.

“That felt...that felt nice.” Harry mumbled, before Louis could reply Harry had fallen asleep.

Louis sighed. He spread his fingers over the come that splattered over his face and placed just the tip of his finger into his mouth. Louis cringed at the taste but scooped more come to conclude the taste. It wasn’t awful but it wasn’t fantastic either. It reminded him of salt and vinegar flavor. Salty and tangy.

Louis rubbed his hard cock with Harry’s cum-slicked hand and wanked furiously, the sight of Harry exposed and vulnerable beneath him with his cock and balls still out made him hornier. With his free hand, he raked his nails along the inner length of Harry’s thigh. His orgasm surprised him as he spilt his load shamelessly over Harry’s sleeping form and some hitting his face.

“Fuck” Louis exclaimed. His body felt spineless, crumbling into the bed. He somehow managed to gather up the least of his remaining energy to get out of bed and clean Harry and himself with a wet washcloth.  

He pulled Harry’s boxers up and dragged his shirt down, caressing his nipples one last time. He combed Harry’s ruffled sticky hair with his hand and picked his heavy head over onto a firm pillow. He decreased the temperature on the thermostat and this time Louis fell asleep quickly only to be awoken up two hours later by the alarm. 

Louis shut the alarm angrily with more force than necessary. The first thing he'd noticed were three deep scratch marks on Harry's thigh, red and vengeful. Louis sat at the foot of the bed with his body hunched forwards and hands in his head, gripping handful of hair in each fist. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


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